Mediation fails to stop planned strike action at LSG Skychefs

LSG Skychefs New Zealand, a subsidiary of the world’s largest airline catering company, faces strike action by Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU) and Engineers Union (EPMU) members after mediation yesterday failed to produce a settlement.

Over 400 union members at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports will take part in the strike action. Union members will strike for 8 hours over the next week in Auckland and Christchurch and members in Wellington will undertake a total overtime ban for one week.

The dispute is currently centred on the company’s wage offer and the unions claim for all overtime to be paid at time and a half. Union members have previously rejected an offer of 4% for two years from the company.

“Our members work long hours, overtime rates reflect the fact that these extra hours are time away from family and whanau. The company is obviously not willing to respect that our members have family lives and that the extra hours mean less time for quality of life with family and friends,” said SFWU National Secretary Darien Fenton.

“The headlines at the moment about ‘work-life balance” seem to be mainly about corporate workers with high-paying jobs. This is an example of how a company can positively affect the work-life balance of their workers and is refusing to do so on philosophical grounds,” she said

“The rationale for overtime rates used to be that the company had made its money in ‘regular’ hours and that the extra work was extra money for the company, that’s why workers got paid extra. Now it seems that rationale has changed and unions are fighting hard to keep these kinds of rates in place to recognise the extra commitment involved in overtime.”

Strike times and picket venues for Auckland and Christchurch are listed below:

Auckland – Strike pickets will be held outside LSG Skychefs, Tom Pearce Drive, Manukau on the following days

Friday, 1 October, 10am – 12pm.

Sunday, 3 October, 6pm – 8pm

Wednesday, 6 October, 5am – 7am

Friday, 8 October, 4pm – 6pm

Christchurch

Friday, 1 October, 10am – 12pm.

Sunday, 3 October, 11am – 1pm

Wednesday, 6 October, 5am – 7am

Friday, 8 October, 4pm – 6pm

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