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Affco Settles Collectives While Meat Workers Strike

18th April 2012

News Release


Affco Settles Collectives While Meat Workers Strike Again

Affco New Zealand Limited has signed Collective Agreements with three unions in the past week and is hopeful the NZ Meat Workers and Related Trades Union will take a more constructive approach to settle a Collective for its members.

Collective Agreements covering members of the Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union, the Northern Distribution Union, and the Marine, Power and Aviation Engineers Union working at Affco’s plants were settled last week.

Since the Collective expired on 31st December 2011 the Meat Workers Union has issued notice of 18 strikes. On Monday the Union issued its latest strike notice that will see all Union members striking for seven days from 5.00 am Friday 20 April to 5.00 am Friday 27 April, at all Affco sites.

Affco CEO, Hamish Simson said the Meat Workers Union seems content to put all its members repeatedly on strike with no pay, while at the same time publicising the economic effects of the lockout.

Mr Simson said that the ongoing strikes are increasing the difficulties being experienced by affected workers and communities, especially when they come without warning. Because of this, many Union members are now choosing to come back to work.

“Affco remains open to constructive discussion with the Union in good faith. Through bargaining the Company wants a clear, modern, flexible collective that is not subject to continual legal challenges by the Union.”

He said the majority of Affco’s employees are not impacted by the dispute, have a good relationship with the company and are at work.

Further mediation between Affco and the Meat Workers Union was set for later this week. However, the session is to be rescheduled while the parties prepare for Monday’s Employment Court hearing regarding lockout notices.

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