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