Locked out workers to visit Talley's headquarters in Motueka

Locked out workers to visit Talley's headquarters in Motueka

Locked out AFFCO workers hope to talk directly with the Talley's family when they visit the company's headquarters in Motueka on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 May.

Locked out worker Laurie Nankivell will drive 1,116km from the top of the North Island to the top of the South Island to join lockout representatives from the company's seven other North Island meat processing plants.

Mr Nankivell, who has worked at Talley's AFFCO Moerewa for 35 years, brought five of his eight children to mediation two weeks ago in an insuccesful attempt to meet the company's negotaition team

“My family drove three hours to unsuccesfully meet Talley's bargaining team face-to-face,” he says. “I'm not going to drive 1,116km to try and speak with Andrew Talley, father-to-father, so he can understand how his lockout is affecting my kids .”

Workers will hold a protest and community meeting, which will include workers from Talley's competitors, in Nelson on Monday 7 May and will visit Motueka the follow day, he says.

Mr Nankivell says he would like to take photos of the Talley's multi-million dollar homes to show his kids.

The Talley's family business started as a small seafood company in Motueka in 1936. The small family business grew into a food empire which today includes vegetables, icecream, dairy and meat after it bought Affco outright in 2010.

Transport for the event has been donated by unions and the local community where the plants are located.

ENDS

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