Thursday, 8 March 2012 at 9:15am

Meat workers at Talley's eight north island AFFCO plants will strike for two days early next week.

Meat Workers Union (MWU) members will also start indefinite work bans on overtime and training new employees used to replace locked out workers next week.

Representatives from AFFCO plants in Moerewa, Wiri, Horotiu, Rangiuru, Feilding, Whanganui, Wairoa and Napier made the decision to escelate strike action at an organising conference in Taupo yesterday and today.

MWU national secretary Dave Eastlake says the strikes will be held next Monday and Tuesday, and Wednesday and Thursday.

"It is reprehensible that while 1,000 workers are locked out and struggling to pay bills, Talley's AFFCO still hasn't bothered to respond to our last bargaining position," he says. "Workers feel sick that some of them have to drive to work while their kids are locked out and want us to put more pressure on the company to drop the lock out and let then go back to work."

A press conference to launch a full campaign planned for today will be postponed until next week where it will be launched at meetings of workers and their families during the strikes.

Mr Eastlake says the campaign will include seeking support from local communities, fundraising, protesting outside of companies selling Talley's products and an escelation in strike action where required.

ENDS

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