13 November 2017

Striking Foodstuffs workers win conversion rights for labour-hire workers

A long-running dispute between Foodstuffs and its cold store distribution centre workers has been settled with union members winning conversion rights for the labour-hire workforce.

This week a new collective agreement was signed that includes a provision that will see labour-hire staff offered permanent employment with Foodstuffs within five months of completing training.

FIRST Union has been critical of Foodstuffs as one of the worst offenders for using triangular employment arrangements.

The new agreement has resulted in around 40 labour-hire workers being offered permanent employment in the Auckland region alone.

“This is really positive for the labour-hire workers on that site,” said FIRST Union spokesperson Jared Abbott.

“They will go from near minimum wages to above living wages, from zero hour contracts to guaranteed hours and overtime rates”.

The settlement also sees current Foodstuffs employees’ pay increase between 10.5% and 16.5% within the next two years.

“Our focus can now shift to other companies where labour-hire workers are exploited through long-term triangular arrangements,” said Abbott.

ENDS

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