Redundancies show meat industry needs to get moving on merger talks - CTU

“The meat processing industry owes it to its workforce to get back to the table on discussions for a meat industry merger,” Council of Trade Unions secretary said today, following redundancy announcements by PPCS at its Oringi plant.

“The CTU endorses the recent vote by Meat Workers Union delegates in support of the proposal for a new entity to control meat procurement and marketing.”

“This would deliver a more coordinated meat sector and some much needed security to the meat workforce in New Zealand. Food manufacturing is a vital part of the New Zealand economy, and the meat industry owes it to the country to work this proposal through.”

“This announcement is a hard one for the workers, and for the wider Tararua district,” Carol Beaumont said.

“The workers need the support of government agencies and other groups such as industry training organisations to ensure they are getting all possible assistance to find new work.”

“Unions have been part of a tripartite process looking at a strategic approach for the future of the meat industry, including support for workers affected by redundancies, but this needs to be backed up by a concerted effort from the companies to these merger talks.”