While John Key spins to prevent us knowing what he and John Banks really said at the tea party, 111 workers are into their third week of being locked out at the CMP Meatworks in Rangitikei.
The union and the company have been negotiating to renew the collective agreement at the plant since April 2011 but have not been able to reach an agreement as the company is seeking significant cuts in pay and allowances. Their stated goal is to remove 15% of the costs from the time a lamb enters the plant to it leaving, which means significant cuts of more than 20% in overall pay for the workers.
On 3 October the company issued a lock-out notices to 300 members of the meat workers union. The notice said that to return to work the workers had to agree to the employers claim for a new collective agreement incorporating the new rates of pay and proposed changes to shift organisation.
Before the lockout , the company put all the workers on annual leave for a week. During this week they contacted many workers one at a time and offered them individual agreements with the pay cuts and told them that if they signed the lock out notice would not apply to them. They were also required to resign from the union.
Over 100 workers signed without union advice and returned to work. Many were migrants who would have been afraid for their jobs. These workers now on individual agreements, and because the season is not yet in full swing the company is able to continue to operate and leave the remaining 111 workers locked out (since 19 October).
The annual income of these workers varies but on average they range from $43,000 to $46,000 with the bottom earnings as low as $23,000 and a top income of $53,800 which includes additional shifts. The workers have offered to take a 10% pay cut which is extremely significant on these low wages – but this has been rejected by the company.
Not a good situation for the workers or the community to be in . John Key should pay attention, or is this a precursor of the “balance and fairness” we could all be up for under National’s Employment Relations policy?
If you want to help these workers and their families go here.
“Before the lockout , the company put all the workers on annual leave for a week. During this week they contacted many workers one at a time and offered them individual agreements with the pay cuts and told them that if they signed the lock out notice would not apply to them. They were also required to resign from the union.”
Isn’t this illegal? If so, why are the union not challenging this?
Darien, aren’t the Tories going to ban collective agreements and make individual contracts compulsory?
$43k – $46k. Careful now, some contributors to this blog feel that range makes you a rich p—k.
Darien, could you please tell the nation what the Labour party considers to be ‘low wages’ – the average range you state is above the median and around the average for NZ. They may be low compared to your salary huh…
What is the context in-behind the $23,000 income – part-time?
The greens had a blog comment on this issue a while ago but failed to provide all details, and you have missed some too. – Are the cuts to the hourly wage, or to penal (overtime rates)?
From your figures, 100 workers signed individual agreemnts, and another 100 did not, and 100 are missing. While some may have felt coerced, is it not possible that some of the 100 workers that signed contracts actually did not require union input to make their own decision?
Some folks like to control their own destiny – the ‘left’ likes to control it for people instead.
Don’t expect any sympathy from the man who is almost definitely going to be the next MP for Rangitikei. Ian McKelvie in his time as mayor of Manawatu District Council has shown himself to be concerned primarily with the rights of the rich and the polluters (usually the same people) and unconcerned with any workers’ rights.
You have seen the price for lamb in the shops – ridiculously overpriced! Oh but hey! the farmers still think they are not being paid enough so its not their fault. The transport operators say it is not their fault, The company managers say it is not their huge salaries that are to blame. Who does that leave? You guessed it! the same people who are always to blame in any economic situation – the workers.