11th June 2015

AFFCO Talley workers – unlawful lockout take 2

Three years after the Talley’s owned AFFCO Meat works locked out workers for 89 days at all of its North Island plants, meat workers at their site in Rangiuru are preparing to argue in court that the company is trying to lock them out again.

The NZ Meat Workers Union (MWU) is seeking an injunction in the Employment Court to stop the company locking out their workers by denying them work with a view to compelling them to accept new individual employment agreements.

Workers have been invited to unpaid “information” meetings and given individual agreements for the new season and a week to agree.

"The new agreements incorporate many of the changes the Company workers have rejected in their collective agreement negotiations” says Mike Nahu, MWU President.

“This is a backdoor way of getting what they want instead of continuing the bargaining process in good faith.

“The workers are particularly disappointed that this comes just a couple of weeks after the head of the Talley’s Group, who own the AFFCO plant, was rewarded for his services with a knighthood.”
The hearing is set down for 10am next Tuesday 16th June in the Employment Court in Rotorua.

ENDS

© Scoop Media