Strike action has spread to the two Affco plants that had not yet been involved in the industrial dispute between the New Zealand meat processor and its unionised workforce.

Meat workers at the firm’s Wiri and Napier production facilities launched a one-day strike today (14 March), Radio New Zealand reported.

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The protest is being made in support of around 1,000 meat workers who were locked out of Affco’s six other sites two weeks ago after the New Zealand Meat Workers Union and the company were unable to reach terms in an ongoing dispute over the group’s collective employment contract.

Affco, a subsidiary of privately-held New Zealand food major Tally’s Group, provides chilled and frozen beef, lamb, mutton, goat, and pork cuts to retailers and supermarkets primarily in New Zealand.

According to local reports, Affco said the two plants hit by the fresh strike will continue to operate with workers on individual contracts, although production will be slower than usual. 

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