CHEP Pallet Workers Strike Continues As Company Refuses To Negotiate

WHAT:

Workers at CHEP, Aotearoa’s main supplier of pallets, are taking strike action for the second time and will picket outside the company’s service centre as negotiations falter over wages and conditions

WHEN:

Friday 18 February, 07:30-08:30

WHERE:

Outside CHEP’s Service Centre, 21-24 O’Rourke Road, Penrose, Auckland

WHY:

"Workers at CHEP - the largest suppliers of pallets in Aotearoa - went on strike and withdrew their labour earlier this month after drawn-out negotiations with the company that have not yet resulted in any meaningful increases to wages or addressed their wider concerns about conditions on the job," said Mark Muller, FIRST Union Secretary for Transport, Logistics and Manufacturing.

"They maintain concerns about being pressured into working overtime and weekends, and the company is refusing to negotiate on wages, despite massive increases in the cost of living."

"As a starting point, workers want a living wage for everyone employed there and significant increases beyond that for people who have spent many years working for the company - it is not a big ask, and more than fair given the demands of the job."

"We’ve been in bargaining with CHEP since June 2021 and have even suggested mediation this week, but it has not been taken up, much to our disappointment."

CHEP is an Australian multinational pallet supplier with considerable responsibility to New Zealand’s supply chain. This week, members of Unite Union in the UK are holding a rally at CHEP UK’s Trafford Park site after a 3-month dispute in which strike action has been consistent.

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