Press release: Meat Worker's Union

Unlocked out workers vote to strike

Previously locked out meat workers have voted to strike in support of families that are still locked out.

Meat Worker's Union general secretary Dave Eastlake says workers who had their lockout lifted this morning joined still-locked out and striking workers at meetings for each of Talley's eight North Island Affco sites.

“98% of workers voted to continue strike action in solidarity with locked out family members and co-workers,” he says. “The message from workers today was they want to stand by every family that remains locked out until everyone is back at work.”

Head delegate only meat worker still locked out at Fielding

Talley's claim they partially lifted the Affco lockout as a gesture of good faith doesn't ring true with Mike Paltridge, the head site delegate and only worker still locked out at the Fielding plant.

Mr Paltridge says the company has lifted the locked out for more workers than they told the union and he had to be told by text he was the only one still locked out.

“What has good faith got to do with Talley's Affco trying to keep me, the democratically elected representative of our workplace, isoldated from my co-workers?” he says. “Talley's has imported the previously unseen partial lockout from America and has taken the divide and conquer tactic from the same union-busting book.”

ENDS

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