30 September 2009 Media Statement
Wilkinson ignoring cheese company dispute
Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson should pull her finger out and do her bit to get Open Country Cheese employers around the
table to sort out the ongoing employment dispute, Labour spokesperson on labour issues Trevor Mallard said today.
“Here we have an employer continuing a lockout in clear defiance of an Employment Court ruling and yet there is no sign
of action from Kate Wilkinson’s Department of Labour.
“Why hasn’t the department’s mediation service got the parties together?
“If it had been a union defying a court ruling like this we would be hearing volumes from Ms Wilkinson, the Prime
Minister and Employers’ organisations.
“It’s no good just sitting on the sidelines. Just because there is a Parliament recess on there is no excuse to go on a
stop work yourself, Kate.”
ENDS