November 23, 2011

Firefighters join lockout picket tomorrow before bargaining progress meeting

Firefighters will join locked out workers on the picket line tomorrow at 6am at the Marton turnoff on State Highway 1.

The forty firefighters are Professional Firefighter Union delegates from across the country.

ANZCO Foods and the New Zealand Meat Workers Union have been in negotiations since April and met for mediation again today.

Locked out workers will discuss the progress of today’s bargaining at the Church of Good Hope in Marton at 9am after the picket.

Three year-old Tarshay Fiti whose mother Tasha is locked out led 100 workers on a march from mediation services down to the local McDonalds.

Children on the picket held signs saying “ANZCO Unhappy Meal”, “ANZCO McLockout” and “McDs can help get my dad back to work.”

ANZCO is a major supplier of meat patties to McDonalds.

NZCTU Helen Kelly announced a national fundraising day outside McDonalds on December 3.

ANZCO locked out 100 of sheep processing workers at their CMP Rangitikei plant on October 19 for refusing to accept up to 20% pay cuts, shift changes and reductions in allowances.

Photos are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/union/sets/72157628105447911/

ENDS

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