Insecure work in Meat Industry a Labour Day issue

The celebration of the achievement of an eight hour day this Labour Day won’t mean much to the thousands of New Zealand meat workers, says Graham Cooke, National Secretary of the Meat Workers Union.

“Thousands of meat workers throughout New Zealand provide their labour for this critical export industry, yet their job security has never been on more shaky ground.

“Long established seniority provisions that enable loyal, reliable, dependable and skilled workers to return to work every season are being undermined by some rogue employers, putting at risk the little job security meat workers have across the entire industry.

“We are seeing more workers working dangerously long shifts at the peak of the season, only to be discarded to the dole queue if the employer decrees. In some sheds, workers can only get a job if they sign an individual agreement that has no seniority provisions.

“Jobs are being filled by three-month migrants, apparently here on working holidays, which gives rise to questions about health & safety and food safety.

“All this adds up to an industry where all the cards are stacked against the workers with a flow-on effect to their families and communities.

“It subjects those companies that do treat workers fairly to unfair competition, and makes even more jobs vulnerable.

“While meat workers celebrate Labour Day and the achievements of their forebears in fighting for the 8 hour day, it’s time to have a hard look at what Labour Day means for workers in our primary industries.

“Because right now, it doesn’t mean a whole lot to meat workers,” Graham Cooke said.

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