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Unions back distribution workers in lockout scandal
7 September 2006
Unions representing port and maritime workers in New Zealand are launching a solidarity campaign to help distribution workers, who have been locked out by their employer following strike action.
Distribution workers at supermarket operator Progressive Enterprises, members of the ITF-affiliated National Distribution Union (NDU), began what was meant to be a 48-hour strike on 25 August, but were locked out by the company three days later. The union is demanding a national collective agreement to cover the country's three distribution centres, as well as a pay increase; so far the company has refused.
Two other ITF-affiliated unions, the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU), have been discussing solidarity action with Australian unions in support of the workers. These include a number of ITF affiliates, such as the Maritime Union of Australia, the Rail Tram and Bus Union and the Transport Workers’ Union; many have already sent donations. A full-time Maritime Union official has also been delegated to work alongside the NDU and liaise with the ITF, which is backing the campaign.
MUNZ General Secretary Trevor Hanson claimed that failure to resolve the dispute would mean a review of unions’ options when it came to dealing with Progressive Enterprise cargo entering New Zealand ports.
The Australian Chief Executive Officer of Woolworths, which owns the company, he added, received an annual salary of over $8 million (more than US$6 million). “Progressive Enterprises can afford full page ads to attack their workers. But they refuse to give them a moderate pay increase and have locked them out," he said.
Rail and Maritime Transport Union National Secretary Wayne Butson stated: "These workers are on extremely low pay which they can't raise a family on." The company needed to rethink its position before permanent damage was done to its reputation amongst New Zealand consumers, he added.
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