Court of Appeal rules Talleys/Affco must pay wages lost during illegal lockout

The IUF reported in September 2017 on the New Zealand Supreme Court ruling that NZ Meat Workers Union members at the Talleys/AFFCO meat processing plant in Wairoa, New Zealand had been unlawfully locked out of their employment during 2015. Union members had been without pay for 5 months.

The NZ Employment Court subsequently ruled that Talleys/AFFCO must pay the workers their lost wages. The Company appealed and on December 5 the Court of Appeal delivered its judgement upholding the Employment Court decision and ordered the company to pay the lost wages.

The New Zealand Meat Workers Union has called on Talleys/AFFCO to pay the workers the money owed and cease the costly litigation. The long history of rights violations by Talleys/ AFFCO against its employees has regularly been tested in the NZ judicial system and the company has yet to secure a win in the Courts. The IUF campaigned in support of the New Zealand Meat Workers Union during the lockout and many affiliates sent messages of support and joined the urgent action campaign.