Fletcher Crane Distribution workers take strike action

Media release: FIRST Union
Thursday October 25, 2012

Fletcher Crane Distribution workers take strike action over low pay offer

Workers at Fletcher Building’s Crane Distribution NZ in Onehunga have taken strike action in support of a better pay offer.

The workers, in the company’s distribution centre in Neilson Street, are facing a Fletcher-wide pushback on any pay rises over 2 per cent. They walked off the job yesterday.

FIRST Union organiser Jared Abbott said the workers were paid between $32,500 and $36,000 a year, which was not an adequate living wage, and the workers were seeking a 3 per cent increase.

“Crane is one of the most profitable parts of Fletcher Building Limited. Its operating earnings were $106 million in the year to 30 June 2012, up 14 per cent on 2011, and second only to Concrete in terms of the group’s most profitable divisions,” he said.

“It’s no wonder then that CEO at the time, Jonathan Ling, said in August they were very pleased with the contribution from Crane to the group’s profit.”

“When it comes to sharing a little of that profit with the workforce that helps it achieve these results, Fletcher’s Crane Distribution have fallen well short of the mark.”

“A company-wide pay rise cap of 2 per cent is not good enough. Crane Distribution NZ’s workers are calling for a better offer to help lift their wages to a decent level.”

Ends.

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The National Distribution Union and Finsec joined forces in October 2011 to form New Zealand’s newest union – FIRST. The union represents 27,000 people working in Finance, Industrial (Textile and Wood) Retail, Stores & Transport. http://firstunion.org.nz

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