Transpacific sale opportunity to lift status/pay for workers

30 October, 2013

Transpacific sale opportunity to lift status and pay for workers

The New Zealand sale of Transpacific Industries provides an opportunity to lift the status of work and the pay at one of the waste industry’s biggest operators, FIRST Union said today.

Transpacific Industries Group announced today in Australia that the firm’s New Zealand assets would be put up for sale, with proceeds from any sale used to pay down debt.

FIRST Union represents workers at many of the company’s New Zealand waste and recycling sites, and General Secretary Robert Reid said that the union would work with the new owners and city and district councils they contract to, to ensure workers are employed on decent wages and conditions.

“Transpacific has been subject to very high debt for a number of years. The company over extended itself and then dealt with this by paying poverty wages to staff in its recycling centres.”

“Workers paid the price with low wages as it became obvious the company was almost unable to act as a good employer.”

“Recycling and waste management is physical and at times unpleasant work. People who work in the industry do jobs that most others wouldn’t, and yet they are paid a pittance.”

“The industry is essential for our communities. The drivers and process workers at Transpacific help keep our neighbourhood streets clean, and they deserve a living wage for their hard work.”

“We hope that a sale will provide certainty and stability for the workforce, and that a new owner will treat its workers with more respect that the current one has,” Robert Reid said.

ENDS

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