12 April 2012

No progress in Talley's mediation, rally in Moerewa tomorrow

The Meat Workers Union says workers will have to wait a seventh week before mediation resumes next Thursday 19 April at 9am.

Meat Workers Union national secretary Dave Eastlake says mediation didn't progress far today with the parties only meeting for one of face-to-face throughout the day.

“Talley's AFFCO spent more time talking to the media yesterday about their mischievous Serious Fraud Office complaint than they spent talking to us across the table at mediation today,” he says. “It's a kick in the guts for the 1,000 locked out workers and their families to see Talley's throwing their money and public money on a complaint that has been dismissed for the second time.”

Mr Eastlake says workers will go ahead with a five day strike tomorrow, the longest so far, in solidarity with locked out family members and co-workers. The strike will start at 5am Friday 13 and finish at 5am Friday 20

Locked out worker Laurie Nankivell and five of his eight children got up at 5am in Moerewa this morning and drove to the mediation so they could speak with Talley's AFFCO.

“It was made absolutely clear that Talley's AFFCO were not happy with my family being there and we never got to talk to them,” he says. “All we wanted was to put a few faces to the 1,000 AFFCO workers and their families that Talley's have locked out.”

Mr Nankivell says he is bemused the company seemed afraid to talk to his four-year-old in person, but didn't have problem smearing the union's name in the media by laying false charges with the Serious Fraud Office..

“The kids were pretty disappointed, but I told them Talley's will be watching the news tomorrow night when we march up State Highway One,” he says.

Mr Nankivell, who has worked at the freezing works for 35 years, says he believes tomorrow's community march is a first for the town.

Workers, community members and local business people will march from the Moerewa Rugby Club at 8:30am, along State Highway One to the Talley's AFFCO plant, he says.

Tomorrow will be the first day of a five day strike, the longest yet, in solidarity with locked out family members and co-workers. Workers will also strike from next Monday until Friday 20 April at 5am.

ENDS

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