Press Release: National Distribution Union/ Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union

Saturday, 26 August 2006

Auckland Supply Chain Strike to Continue Until Monday

Three hundred Progressive distribution workers in Auckland have voted to extended their 48 hour ShelfRespect.org strike to 80 hours and to stop trucks from entering the Supply Chain at 4am tomorrow morning, says the National Distribution.

The Palmerston North and two Christchurch distribution centres will vote on whether to join the extended strike at 5am when their shifts begin.

National Advocate and Auckland Organiser Stan Renwick said that the workers voted to continue their strike in response to Progressive escalating the dispute by suspending fifty striking Palmerston North workers indefinitely unless they return to normal work duties "unconditionally".

He said that the suspension notices were being used by the company to prevent the NDU and EMPU members going slow and working to rule when they returned to work.

"We are still happy to meet with Progressive over recommitting to a single nationwide agreement and to end their cross initiation for single agreements at each site," he said. "Progressive still have the opportunity to meet with us before our next meeting at lunchtime on Monday to discuss the next step in our ShelfRespect.org campaign."

Mr Renwick said that he was unsure what the company's response would be to workers stopping supply trucks at 4am tomorrow morning.

ENDS

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