Meat Union Signs Deal With Alliance Today, Contrast To Talley's
Press release: Meat Workers Union

April 11 2012, 11am

Alliance Union Negotiations A Contrast To Talley's

The Meat Workers Union says a deal signed with the countries second largest meat works today is at odds with negotiations at Talley's AFFCO.

Invercargill-based Alliance Group Ltd and the union's new collective agreement includes a 3% pay rise for the union's 4,000 members.

Meat Workers Union national secretary Dave Eastlake says a final vote was held at Alliance Levin at 11am today.

“Talley's AFFCO argues the economic environment in the meat industry justifies its desire to remove seasonal job security protections from its workers and to give it the ability to cut their pay at will,” he says. “Alliance's meat works face the same economic conditions and compete for the same stock as Talley's AFFCO. They've agreed maintain industry standards but give workers a 3% pay rise.”

Mr Eastlake says Alliance agreed to the deal after only 12 hours of face-to-face negotiations. Over the past six weeks, Talley's has locked out over 1,300 AFFCO workers after only 10 hours of face-to-face negotiations, he says.

“The Meat Workers Union approached both negotiations with the same open mind and the results reflect each company's managerial style. Alliance has the same modern approach to employment relations that AFFCO had for many years until Talley's brought their archaic micro-managerial style when they took full control two years ago.”
Talley's will join the union-requeste
d mediation at the Telstra Clear center in Manukau at 9am tomorrow morning.

Important upcoming dates
• Thursday 12 April, Manukau from 9am: Talley's AFFCO will attend a union requested mediation in Auckland tomorrow at Telstra Clear center in Manukau.
• Friday 13 April, Moerewa, Wiri, Horotiu, Rangiuru, Wairoa, Napier, Feilding, Whanganui: Meetings of all union members at each meat plants to discuss mediation outcome and discuss the next steps for industrial action if required.
• Friday 13 April, Moerewa from 8.30am: Community march in Moerewa from the Rugby Club to the plant. Local businesses will be closed for the march. Labour Party and Mana Party speaking.
• Saturday 14 April, Whanganui from 10am: March in Whanganui starting at Taupo Quay outside the Whanganui Chronicle.
• Saturday 14 April, Nationwide: Fundraising, including outside of Talley's AFFCO customers around the country including: Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington, Napier and Invercargill.
• Sunday 15 April, Ngaruawahia from 1pm to 4pm: Community and family day in Ngaruawahia at the Point Reserve, hosted by the AFFCO Horotiu plant. Significant numbers expected including workers from each plant arriving by bus with speakers from the community and major political parties.

ENDS

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