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National | Meat

Campaign highlighting job insecurity in meat industry to launch today

A national campaign highlighting job insecurity within the Meat Industry is set to launch in Palmerston North this afternoon.

According to a statement released by the NZ Meat Workers Union, over 20,000 meat workers provide labour for the industry, “yet their job security is on more shaky ground than ever.”

Union National Secretary, Graham Cooke says, ““Seasonal work, dangerous jobs, casual and zero hours contracts, and increasing pressure on workers to join non-union individual agreements. As if that’s not enough, the Government’s recent Employment Law changes mean meat workers will face a tougher time settling collective agreements and earning a decent living.”

The Union says it plans to call on ‘Jobs that Count’ for workers in the industry in an effort to help alleviate some of the major pressures meat workers face both financially and in the workplace.

Graham Cooke says, “When meat workers don’t thrive, communities, local businesses and schools all suffer too.  We know the industry is facing challenges, but we don’t believe workers and their families should pay the price.”