There have been no major strikes in the dairy industry in over 20 years. The union is generally seen as one that works very constructively with employers especially on productivity and literacy.
Enter Open Country Cheese (and especially Talleys who seem to have the worst industrial relations reputation in NZ).
They have attempted to compete with not only really favourable milk price arrangements but also with lower wages than other companies.
The union has not been able to negotiate a fair industrial agreement. It has given 14 days notice of industrial action.
OCCs (Talley’s) response has been interesting. Their chair Laurie Margrain has called the industrial action “wildcat” – with 14 days notice – huh.
He has then called for the dairy industry to get the same level of recognition as an essential industry as the Police. Even Kate Wilkinson isn’t that gulliable. But no offer to have binding arbitration as with the Police.
But now he has issued a lock-out notice for a six week period.
So we have moved from an industry where any strike action was terrible to one where the employer is going on strike for six weeks. Weird.
This dispute has the potential to be a very big one.
