100
members of the Meat Workers Union are facing the Christmas holiday on
the picket lines after being locked out at the Marton ANZCO
Canterbury Meat Processors (CMP meatworks).
The
lockout is because the Meat Workers Union refuse to accept a 20% pay
cut, and the removal of other conditions from their collective
agreement.
CMP
management approach to this dispute has been described has brutal .
Prior to the lock out workers were put on a weeks leave. During this
week’s leave management arranged community meetings for workers at
the plant to sign individual employment agreements. This was a
blatant attempt at union busting and a attempt at sledge-hammering
the proposed cuts through – as workers have little or no protection
as such contracts are worthless bits of paper as far as bargaining is
concerned.
The
management proposed cuts include reducing redundancy payments from 15
weeks to 10 weeks., reducing pay rates from $31.10 to $25.00 for A
grade positions and from $26.88 to $21.000 for B grade positions.
These pay cuts could be worsened if they
were not able to maintain productivity rates. Other
cuts in conditions include a reductions in long service leave (20%),
night shift allowances ($11.30), daily cleaning allowance ($6.25 per
day) and breakdown payments. The
annual income of most workers is between $43,000 & $46,000.
Corporate
Citizen
The
company prides itself has being a good corporate citizen! ANZCO foods
the parent company exports beef and lamb products to over 80
countries. Its customers include Waitrose in the UK, as well as
McDonalds here.
The
irony is ANZCO foods annual turnover exceeded $1.3 billion and the
company boasts that it is one of New Zealands largest exporters.
MWU have been informed that ANZCO posted $4 million to its Japanese
shareholders last season.
Perhaps
we should rephrase good corporate citizen to mean greedy corporate
citizen!
Recent
media reports are that the company is wishing to employ seasonal
labour from the Pacific Islands. One can assume in plain English
that they are trying to recruit scabs to enable them to work through
the peak season.
This
is a concerted attack on the union in the meat processing industry
with similar tactics being used to get workers to sign up to
individual employment contracts being employed by AFFCO.
Socialist
Appeal urges all workers to get behind the CTU solidarity campaign.
Donations:
NZCTU Disputes Fund 38 9007
0894028 08
Adopt
a family:Provide food or Money
for a family contact eileenbnzctu.org.nz
McDonalds
Campaign: go to
www.union.org.nz
Email
protests to ANZCO key shareholder Sir Graeme Harrison.
Graeme.Harrison@anzcofoods.com