Meatworkers win

Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, May 22nd, 2012 - 38 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, Unions, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

News in that Talley’s/AFFCO and the Meatworkers reached an agreement at 5am this morning. The workers will keep their wage and job security provisions and still be covered by a collective contract. These things are never a complete victory but Talley’s appear to have won little for a dispute that has cost them and their workers’ families millions. Next time, they’ll think twice before attacking their workers.

The strength of spirit of the thousand plus workers and their families have displayed to stand strong while one rich family tried to bully and extort them into handing over some of what little wealth they have is astounding. I know the tens of thousands of dollars donated by New Zealanders up and down the country, along with payments from their union brothers and sisters via the CTU, have been absolutely vital in keeping these families going. As has the support of iwi, who have not only provided practical support to the families but have flexed their economic muscle as well by threatening a boycott of Talley’s/AFFCO by Maori farmers and even mooted setting up a competing network of meatworks.

At the end of the day, a dispute like this comes down to who can take the pain longer, and who has most to lose. The workers had the most to lose because accepting the bosses’ demands would have been the end of the union and a ticket to lower wages and casualisation. With the help of iwi, the union movement, and ordinary New Zealanders, they have shown they could bear the pain longer than Talley’s/AFFCO could bear to lose millions in revenue.

And we owe our thanks to the meatworkers, as well as the wharfies at Ports of Auckland. There’s no doubt that these two vicious attacks on workers by their bosses were the opening salvos in a broader attack on workers’ rights, supported and abetted by National with further undermining of our work rights.

Both Talley’s/AFFCO and Ports of Auckland have come away with bloody noses and the reputations of their senior managers in tatters. That will be noted by bosses up and down this country. Had Talley’s/AFFCO and PoAL won, it would have been open season on workers’ rights and pay. Instead, the lesson is: don’t mess with unions and don’t mess with workers.

The bosses and their shills should take some time to absorb that lesson before they attack New Zealand’s working families again.

And the meatworkers should stand a little taller today as they return to work today. They have done themselves and all working New Zealanders proud.

Kia kaha.

38 comments on “Meatworkers win ”

  1. tc 1

    Great news now watch shonkey and the hollowmen proxies makes moves on the law to weaken the unions and alter the outcome next time this happens. It’s a learning game to them whereas it’s the only game to the workers, be vigilant people.

    Well done to everyone involved, a fight that had to be won for the workers.

  2. Hateatea 2

    Excellent news to log on to but I think that I will continue to boycott Talleys. The damage done to those whānau and their communities will be felt for many, many more months and I am sure no compensation will be paid by Talleys to get people back on their feet

    • felix 2.1

      Me too.

    • muzza 2.2

      Because Talleys are made in NZ, I bought their frozen vege to support NZ made over those that are not…

      Anyone know which other frozen veges are made in NZ, who don’t treat their workers with utter disrespect?

      Pleasing to see this outcome, however this is not where it will rest!

    • Rodel 2.3

      Hateata Me too. Wouldn’t touch Talleys after what I’ve learnt from this site.

    • burt 2.4

      Boycotting Talleys could result in workers being laid off. A well organised effective mass boycott could possibly get most of them laid off in less than 6 months.

      I get the boycott when the workers are on strike or locked out – but the workers via their union have accepted the deal so solidarity, and all that, surely says you should now bite down on it.

      • felix 2.4.1

        The issues with Talleys go a lot deeper than one lockout burt.

        And what happened to your free market principles? If consumer choices really do hurt Talleys so much that they can’t stay in business, then they obviously shouldn’t be in business and someone else will fill the gap in the market to meet demand.

  3. Good stuff. But you can bet the Tallys, like rust, will not sleep.

    They may see National’s proposed Industrial Relations law changes as another way to achieve what they want. 

    Wrecking collective agreements in the name of “flexibility” is what they want to achieve.

    It is great that the Trade Union movement has won this particular battle but the war is not yet over … 

  4. Carol 4

    Great news about one battle won. Take time to celebrate, and then regroup – it’s only just begun.

  5. Draco T Bastard 5

    Next time, they’ll think twice before attacking their workers.

    No they won’t. What they’ll do is lobby this government for a law change that will put more power in their hands and probably get that law change and then they’ll attack again.

    • burt 5.1

      The we get a change of government and the legislation swings back the other way and non-union people say; “What they’ll do is lobby this government for a law change that will put more power in their hands and probably get that law change and then they’ll attack again.”.

      • Fat chance. Labour has never adequately undone the damage previous National governments do to employment law.

        • fatty 5.1.1.1

          Too true…the ERA 2000 that replaced the ECA 1991 did little more then entrench the loss of employment rights. I hate the concept of good faith bargaining…its a sham

  6. ad 6

    Such fantastic news. Shoutout to everyone who held the line.

  7. Carol 7

    Interesting interview with a Talley’s worker just on RNZ. She said she was a little nervous about going back to work, but was glad it was over. She’d been planning to head to Aussie if the dispute wasn’t settled, like many others in her area.

    Great – Greedy corporates and their government backers, pressuring workers to leave for Aussie where workers have stronger unions.

    • muzza 7.1

      So once workers are driven away from NZ in certain sectors…what happens once the tide goes out in OZ? Be interesting to see how strong unions remain in OZ once the sucking effect hits them properly!

      Western countries with labour laws, health and safety laws and the like, can’t compete now, so they won’t be able to compete in future either!

      Who will turn this around?

      • Colonial Viper 7.1.1

        No one. All the political parties are capitalist and free market leaning. The markets and the margins for the few come first, communities and societies come a poor second.

        • muzza 7.1.1.1

          Indeed, and yet still people are desperately engaging into a system in the hope that it might change direction.

          I wonder when people will start to accept that the wholesale co-opting of global governments and the systems that are meant to support the people of those countries, is not that difficult to have achieved…and it happened while they continue to think, its all just “stuff” that happens!

          Some people still can’t get their heads around the simple truth that the banking system is the root cause of almost every problem going around!

          Control the money, control “everything”!

          • Tiger Mountain 7.1.1.1.1

            The corporates can run but they can’t hide forever. When the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) workers get substantially organised, and the US and Europe re-organised our capitalist friends will be stuffed, but can that happen before the planet is stuffed, is the question.

  8. Luk 8

    Finally some good comes out of the Iwi Leaders Group, thought they were a total bunch of government hacks, but this shows they have some links back to the flaxroots. Or am I being sucked in by the PR and they were a convenient way for Affco to lose without saving face.
    Maybe the cynic in me says Affco figured fight not worth it when govt is changing law soon to make it much easier for them

  9. Malcolm 9

    Hi Eddie,

    Can I point out that you have fallen into the same pattern as the bourgeois media by reporting on this dispute as all settled. The proposed agreement needs to be ratified by union members. They may or may not agree that they have quite won yet.

    [cheers but I’m well aware the agreement needs ratification, that’s why I said an agreement had been reached between the union and the bosses, not that the dispute is settled. The union members interviewed across media have all expressed support for it. Ratification seems extremely likely. It’s like the budget. When English presents it on Thursday, we’ll all say ‘the govt has presented its budget’ and analysis it as if it is what the actual budget will be for the next year. of course, the budget won’t pass until its third reading if a majority of the house backs it some weeks later and, in theory, National MPs or their support partners could cross the floor and vote it down. But it would be bizarre to not cover the budget until the third reading on that basis. Eddie]

    • Aren’t votes for the budget done by party, Eddie? If so National MPs cannot cross the floor.

      I would love to be wrong about that though! 🙂

    • Malcolm 9.2

      By all means cover it but I think it needs pointing out it is not settled until ratified. I couldn’t see any mention of this in your post. (Having just re-read it I still can’t.) The way your post is worded make it seem like it is all done and dusted. This can also be said about lots of other comments made by sympathetic commentators yesterday morning. I understand people are happy about a possible settlement and want to celebrate but it should be done a bit more cautiously. We don’t know what the membership feels about the proposed deal yet. No doubt they are very keen to get back to work but they may not like it at all …..

  10. Guest 10

    What the Ports of Auckland and Talleys didn’t realize is the level of support the workers would get from the Union and the public.

  11. The bosses and their shills should take some time to absorb that lesson before they attack New Zealand’s working families again.

    I think National’s planned labour law changes demonstrate that the lessons have already been learned and future union-busting activities will rely on the govt’s heavy weaponry for success.

    • tc 11.1

      Yup, more lessons learned so next time the NACT gov’t big guns can be used by the owners and management to their own end.

      • Psycho Milt 11.1.1

        That’s what I’m thinking. For the employers, the obvious lesson to draw from these two disputes is that they’re likely to fail expensively when trying to break a union under labour law that’s still largely as Labour left it, so it’s time to start bending the ears of their (and I mean “their”) representatives in govt about the need for that law to get friendlier to union-busting employers.

  12. Stephen D 12

    I remember being in the Meat Workers union back in the 1970s.
    Makes me proud to once have belonged.

  13. Kevin 13

    Excellent news for the workers and the families who have been affected by this lockout and a great result for the team who negotiated this return to work, special mention to Tainui for playing an integral role in getting the parties talking.

    • higherstandard 13.1

      “….special mention to Tainui (and others) for playing an integral role in getting the parties talking.”

      You’re on to it, without the intervention of the likes of Ken Mair, Tukoroirangi Morgan and Sonny Tau there wouldn’t have been any progress.

  14. Union Hard 14

    I would like to thank all the people on this site with their words of support and donations of money which helped us during the lockout ,we could not not have done it without your help
    THANKS!!!!!!!

  15. BillODrees 15

    POL              0.     Union                 1
    Talleys          0.     Union                 1 
    Natz.            0.      Union                 1
    Self interest   0.     Collective Interest 1

     

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience
    $12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...
    Ko tēnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tō tātou reo rangatira. Ko te wā tuku reo Māori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tēnā me tēnā o tātou, ka tū ā te Rātū te 14 o Mahuru, ā te 12 o ngā hāora i te ahiahi. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Wildlife Act to better protect native species
    The 70-year-old Wildlife Act will be replaced with modern, fit-for-purpose legislation to better protect native species and improve biodiversity, Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime has announced.   “New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” Willow-Jean Prime said.   “More than 4,000 of our native species are currently ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further safety initiatives for Auckland City Centre
    Central and Local Government are today announcing a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement Police scaling up their presence in the area. “Police have an important role to play in preventing and responding to crime, but there is more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Govt confirms additional support for Enabling Good Lives
    The Government has confirmed $73.7 million over the next four years and a further $40.5m in outyears to continue to transform the disability support system, Minister for Disability Issues Priyanca Radhakrishnan has announced. “The Enabling Good Lives (EGL) approach is a framework which guides positive change for disabled people, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand gets AAA credit rating from S&P
    Standard and Poor’s is the latest independent credit rating agency to endorse the Government’s economic management in the face of a deteriorating global economy. S&P affirmed New Zealand’s long term local currency rating at AAA and foreign currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook. It follows Fitch affirming New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Appointment of Environment Court Judge
    Christchurch barrister Kelvin Reid has been appointed as a Judge of the Environment Court and the District Court, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Mr Reid has extensive experience in Resource Management Act issues, including water quality throughout the South Island. He was appointed to the Technical Advisory Group advising the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • NZ’s biggest ever emissions reduction project hits milestone
    New Zealand is on track to have greener steel as soon as 2026 with New Zealand Steel’s electric arc furnace project reaching a major milestone today.   The Government announced a conditional partnership with New Zealand Steel in May to deliver the country’s largest emissions reduction project to date. Half of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Poroporoaki: Paki Leslie Māngai Nikora
    Pokia ana te tihi Taiarahia e Hine-Pūkohu-rangi Hotu kau ana te manawa! Horahia ana te whārua o Ruātoki e te kapua pouri Tikaro rawahia ko te whatumanawa! Rere whakamuri kau ana te awa o Hinemataroa Ki te kawe i te rongo ki te mātāpuna i nga pōngaihu Maungapōhatu, tuohu ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • 50,000 charges laid in crack down on gangs
    Police Minister Ginny Andersen has today congratulated Police in their efforts to crack down on gangs, after laying 50,000 charges against gang members and their associates through the hugely successful Operation Cobalt. As at 31 August, Police have: Laid 50,396 criminal charges against gang members and their associates Issued 64,524 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Farmers and cyclone-affected properties supported with tax rule changes
    The Government has confirmed details of the tax changes to the bright-line test for cyclone-damaged properties, with the release of the required legislative amendments. Revenue Minister Barbara Edmonds has released a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to be considered by the Finance and Expenditure Committee in the next Parliament, as it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand wins CPTPP dispute against Canada
    Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor has welcomed the CPTPP Panel’s ruling in favour of New Zealand in our dispute against Canada, a significant win for our primary sector exporters. The Panel found that Canada’s dairy quota administration is inconsistent with its obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New intensive turnaround programme launched to break the cycle of offending
     The next phase of the Government’s response to youth crime is underway, with an intensive programme for the country’s most prolific young offenders launched today in Auckland, Minister for Children Kelvin Davis said. The programme, announced by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in July, will see up to 60 recidivist young ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government extends report date for COVID inquiry
    The Government has agreed to a request from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 for extra three months to deliver its final report. The Royal Commission was established in 2022 to strengthen New Zealand’s preparedness for any future pandemics. It was originally due to conclude mid-2024. “The Commission has ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Wainuiomata school property upgrade making great progress
    The Wainuiomata High School redevelopment is making great progress, with two more classroom blocks set to be complete by the end of the month, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The Prime Minister visited today to see first-hand the progress of the redevelopment which is continuing at pace and is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Language week focuses on sustaining Lea Faka-Tonga
    New Zealand’s Tongan community are coming together to promote language sustainability this week, as Uike Lea Faka-Tonga – Tongan Language Week begins.  “For our Pacific communities, language is more than just a means of communication. It’s an important way to link generations and maintain connections to our ancestral roots,” Barbara ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-09-21T20:13:56+00:00