Talleys AFFCO, prosecuted for health and safety violations, lays off union members

The District Court in New Zealand has ruled that serial rights abuser Talleys/AFFCO failed to meet its statutory obligations to provide a safe workplace after an experienced worker was impaled by a meat hook and dragged along the line at the company’s Rangiuru plant. Sentencing will take place next month. The company blamed the worker for the accident. 

In January this year a German tourist on a working holiday was knocked unconscious when caught in a machine while working in the same area of the same plant.

Talleys/AFFCO has intensified its union-busting efforts by removing all the union members at the Rangiuru plant on March 7 in what they term an ‘intra-seasonal’ layoff.  In a flagrant violation of the law, the layoff ignores the seniority provisions of the expired collective bargaining agreement which have been twice upheld by the NZ Courts.

Included among the layoffs were union leaders Bertie Ratu and Charmaine Takai who had been back at work for a week following orders for their reinstatement.