December 10, 2008
Media Release

Tritec workers protest for redundancy

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union members at Lower Hutt manufacturer Tritec will be picketing the premises at 3:45pm this afternoon after the company announced it will be laying off 25 workers and will not negotiate a redundancy deal.

The union has been trying to negotiate a first-ever collective agreement with the company with the intent of gaining redundancy protections.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says the union has worked hard to negotiate a fair deal with the company but members have lost patience.

“We’ve tried to get a basic redundancy clause and suggested outcomes including delaying some payment until the company is back in good financial shape but this morning they shut the door on any offer of redundancy.

“We know the company is under pressure because of the markets they sell in, but there’s 25 working families facing hardship at a time of year that already places strain on household budgets and some modest compensation to get them through is necessary.

“This situation highlights the need for a minimum redundancy law for all workers.

“The irony is that just down the road in Wellington the National/Act government is using urgency to pass a law that will mean even more insecurity for them as they look for and take up new jobs.

“This is not what National told New Zealand workers they would be doing to them during the election campaign.”

Earlier this year an Advisory Group on redundancy and restructuring, which included business and worker representation, agreed that the Government should consider a minimum entitlement for notice and compensation in redundancy.

The EPMU is New Zealand’s largest private sector union, representing 50,000 workers across eleven industries.

The picket will be for half an hour starting 3.45pm sharp in front of Tritec Manufacturing, Parkside Rd Gracefield Lower Hutt

ENDS

© Scoop Media