28 November 2011, 5:30pm

Locked out workers reject new offer, lockout continues

The ANZCO CMP Rangitikei lock out continues as workers reject the company’s new offer at a meeting today.

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly attended today’s meeting and says the company hasn’t significantly changed their position and still wants pay cuts of up to 20%, shift changes and cuts to allowances.

“Workers resolve remains strong and they are refusing to bow down to ANZCO’s pressure,” she says. “The only movement from the company’s last offer is that they are offering to give back 2.5% of the pay cut in April 2013 rather than 2% in October 2013.”

Mrs Kelly says the company’s offer is to take away a piece of the pie and to give worker back the crumbs later.

“The workers have offered to sacrifice 10% of their pay despite their average annual income being only around $45,000, with the lowest on $23,000. But ANZCO, a multinational with an annual turnover of $1.2 billion, and CEO Sir Graeme Harrison want bigger cuts.”

Mrs Kelly says this is not the first time workers have offered to help the company. Workers accepted a wage freeze when the company first opened.

ANZCO locked out 100 meat workers from their CMP Rangitikei plant on October 19.

The New Zealand Meat Workers Union has been in negotiations with the company since April.

A lockout is not a strike.

ENDS

© Scoop Media