News

Canterbury Meat Packers (CMP) Rangitikei lockout continues

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +1300

More than 110 workers at the CMP Rangitikei meat plant near Marton remain locked out by their employer following an Employment Court ruling that says the company's actions are legal.

The NZ Meat Workers Union was in Court earlier this week challenging the legality of the lockout that took effect on 19 October, following a refusal by members to accept a 25 percent pay cut and the removal of important conditions from their collective employment agreement.

"However, we had a meeting this morning with members to vote on a revised settlement offer by the company where we ran a secret ballot," says Dave Eastlake, the union's general secretary. "It was resoundingly rejected. I think everyone is just so angry about the size of the wage cut being proposed." He thinks there's a good chance of more negotiations taking place next week as a result of this latest rejection.

Currently the locked out workers are picketing on State Highway One near the plant, and groups have been leafleting local communities as well as seeking financial support for those who are locked out.

The NZ Meat Workers are asking for support for the locked out members by
- Showing support for the workers' picket on SH1
- Visiting www.union.org.nz/CMPlockout and joining the Facebook group set up for the CMP workers
- Donate directly to the locked out workers through the following Kiwibank account:-
Name: Disputes Fund. Account Number: 38-9007-0894028-08

Yarrows redundancies pave way for potential resale

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1200

All workers at Yarrows Bakery have now been made technically redundant, and approximately two-thirds of the workers have been offered new jobs by the receivers BDO. The decision to retain a pared-back workforce at the South Taranaki-based factory suggests that prospects are still good for sale of the business as a going concern.

EPMU lead organiser Wayne Ruscoe says that while he's naturally disappointed that between 40 and 45 workers will lose their jobs, he's pleased that there are still 100 workers staying on at the factory. ‘We hope this decision to strip the business back to basics will make the company a more saleable asset,' says Ruscoe.

Cuts have been made across the board, including management. The Managing Director Paul Yarrow's position will be clarified at today's meeting.

Yarrows Bakery is the main employer in Manaia. The factory produces up to 40,000 loaves of bread a week and sells frozen dough to Subway outlets in New Zealand and overseas.

Community rallies around Yarrows

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1200

Yarrows Bakery is still operating, despite going into receivership, and the beleaguered firm is receiving strong support from workers and the wider community.

The Yarrows factory in Manaia is now in the hands of receivers BDO, but other companies in the Yarrows Group in Rotorua and Australia are unaffected. The South Taranaki operation produces up to 40,000 loaves of bread a week and sells frozen dough to Subway outlets in New Zealand and overseas.

EPMU lead organiser Wayne Ruscoe says that these and other supply agreements make the Yarrows factory an attractive proposition to another buyer. He agrees with the receivers BDO that Yarrows may still be sold as a going concern.

‘Receivership is not the end of the line,' says EPMU lead organiser Wayne Ruscoe. ‘Many kiwi firms have survived this kind of setback and gone on to prosper.'

The union is committed to supporting our members at Yarrows. The EPMU has thousands of members in the food industry and well-established relationships and employment agreements with all the likely new owners. ‘We have a long term collective employment agreement that provides significant protection for the Yarrows workers and will underpin their employment with a new owner,' says Ruscoe.

Yarrows Bakery is the main employer in Manaia, and the family has been a significant supporter of the local community, especially in sport. ‘It would be great if people could show their appreciation in a practical way by continuing to buy Yarrows products,' suggests Ruscoe. ‘The problems are deeper than that, but it'd be a nice touch.'

Amcor settles

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Negotiations at Amcor's Manukau beverage can plant settled on Tuesday after members accepted a two year offer of 3.5% and 3.5%.

The deal was the result of several weeks of negotiations which included a two day lock-out.

EPMU lead organiser Cliff Gunning says "members got a pay rise above increases in the cost of living and paid meal breaks for day shift, and we also resolved issues around smoko breaks".

"Although we were facing an employer determined to make claw backs of workers' conditions, the support and strength of the membership was critical in getting a settlement", says Gunning, "and the result has been good for our members."

Workers at the plant are responsible for the production of aluminium cans for beverages including Coca Cola products.

Yarrows workers laid off

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Icon Taranaki baker Yarrows has laid off 28 workers in Manaia after the company shifted some production to Australia to meet a contract with the Australian Subway franchise.

The high New Zealand dollar is also being blamed for the company's inability to gather more export contracts to fill lost local production.

EPMU lead organiser Wayne Ruscoe says the redundant workers are more victims of the high dollar. "This is an issue that is affecting loads of Kiwi workers and until something's done about it we're going to keep seeing this happen"

"The announcement was really difficult for everyone involved," says Ruscoe, "and the impact on the community will be considerable as Yarrows plays a big role in Taranaki."

Laid-off workers have been offered the chance to relocate to the Sydney plant.

Tegel workers beat wage freeze, win 3+3+3

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Workers at Tegel in Christchurch and Taranaki have won an across the board wage increase worth 9.23% over three years.

The deal comes after months of bargaining in which the company held strongly to a wage freeze position right until the beginning of September.

EPMU lead organiser Phil Knight says the 3+3+3 settlement is a great deal in the current economic climate and demonstrates the importance of collective action.

"This has been a very long set of negotiations but our members' determination has finally paid off.

"The first step was to settle Christchurch and after six months of on again, off again negotiations we managed to get Tegel to reluctantly agree to a deal of 2% in the first year, 3% in the second year and the greater of 3% or CPI for the third.

"We had the company make a commitment that any superior terms on other agreements would be passed on, and thanks to the great work of Blair McFarlane and the Taranaki membership we managed to lift the deal to 3+3+3 for all Tegel workers nationwide.

"It just goes to show how important it is for unionists to work together on a national level, this is a great deal that provides good increases and security for our members in very uncertain economic times."

The EPMU represents around 350 members at Tegel.

DB workers take strike action, win pay rise

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Negotiations for the Dominion Breweries national collective agreement have finished with members accepting a 3% pay rise.

The negotiations concluded last week after EPMU and SFWU members offered a wage freeze took four days of strike action by in Timaru and Greymouth.

EPMU lead organiser and agreement advocate Ted Thornton says members are happy with the outcome.

"With the cost of living still rising a wage freeze is effectively a pay cut but this deal keeps our members ahead of their costs."

The DB collective covers workers in Auckland, Mangatonoka, Timaru and Greymouth.

DB workers take strike action, get deal

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Workers at Dominion Brewery's Timaru and Greymouth plant took four days of strike action this week after the company made them a nil pay offer.

The strike was followed by negotiations on Thursday and a new offer is currently being put to members for ratification.

EPMU lead organiser Ted Thornton says the new offer is a good one.

"All of the delegates are happy with the deal now money has been substantially increased and the term has been set at ten months."

"We're recommending members accept the offer," says Thornton, "and it is now in their hands."

The DB collective agreement covers EPMU and Service and Food Workers Union members in Auckland, Mangatainoka, Timaru and Greymouth.

$29m Tui profit justifies pay freeze - Yeah right

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Tui workers in Timaru and Greymouth are giving a collective ‘yeah right' to Dominion Breweries over the company's attempt to impose a pay freeze.

More than 50 Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union and Service and Food Workers Union members began a four day strike this morning, while DB employees in other parts of the country are considering action of their own.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says workers are outraged that DB is trying to impose a pay freeze at a time when it's still making healthy profits.

"Beer prices have gone up and frankly selling beer in New Zealand is as easy as organising a piss up in a brewery.

"DB posted a profit of $29 million for the last financial year, and while we're all aware of the impact of the recession this is a business that can easily afford to give its workers a fair pay increase.

"Given their healthy profits it's just not credible for DB to plead poverty. They shouldn't be surprised when their workers say ‘yeah right' to a pay freeze."

SFWU assistant national secretary Neville Donaldson says workers have shown good faith in the company.

"Over the last few years our members have shown flexibility and productivity but are not seeing anything in return. This dispute is as much about respect as it is about money.

"Rather than use the recession to attack our members DB needs to recognise the steps its workforce has taken to help the business succeed and make them a fair offer."

The strike started this morning and will continue until Thursday. Further action has not been ruled out.

ENDS

For more information please contact Andrew Little on 027 551 3476, Neville Donaldson on 027 5435 313 or EPMU communications advisor Rob Egan on 027 276 5146.

Sealord to cut 160 jobs in Nelson

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1300

160 workers at Sealord in Nelson were told this week will lose their jobs through restructuring, just days after the job summit called by the John Key to work out how to save jobs.

Sealord, which attended the Summit, has also demanded the remaining workers must accept a reduction in wages to increase profits or face dismissal.

SFWU Assistant National Secretary Neville Donaldson says the move is about increasing profit at the expense of jobs. "At a time when most business are saying they are prepared to make lower profits in order to secure employment, Sealord have demanded that workers increase the company profits by $1.8 million through wage and condition cuts."

"We're in the first days of consultation with the company," says Donaldson, "and at the moment they think they can make these changes and still opereate at the same levels they do now. We don't think so."

"If staff don't agree to the proposed cut in wages and conditions within the three week consultation process, Sealord management have advised us that the board may take an option to close the processing facility in Nelson which currently employs over 500 workers."

Prime Minister John Key told media the government would not intervene as the job losses were part of movement in the labour market.