Workers at Tegel’s Christchurch plant are demanding urgent action after chemical exposure on Monday left one person in hospital and many others off work sick.

E tū delegate Simon Christians says workers have been raising concerns for months.

“From my perspective Tegel has not been paying attention to their staff, safety processes, and ensuring employees’ health and wellbeing is looked after. They’ve been slow to react to concerns.

“It’s been terrible for my health – I’ve had to see a GP because of the illness caused by these chemicals. On top of that, members and I have had to use our sick leave when it’s the workplace making us sick.

“There needs to be an independent investigation to check all workplace practices, including PPE, to see whether the equipment being used meets safety requirements. Tegel needs to start taking the wellbeing of their staff seriously.”

E tū organiser Sara Currey says the incident is part of a wider pattern.

“This is not an isolated event. Our members have been raising concerns about chemical exposure and other health and safety risks for months, but Tegel has failed to act. The latest incident shows just how dangerous that inaction has been.

“We are also concerned that the company has not been upfront with either workers or the union about what happened. They haven’t answered key questions, and it looks like they’re more focused on protecting their reputation than on open communication with workers and unions. That is completely unacceptable – transparency is essential for good health and safety.

“Tegel has a legal responsibility to keep workers safe. We are in contact with WorkSafe, and we expect the company to finally take this matter seriously and work with us to resolve the ongoing problems.”

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