22 November 2008
Bills foil machinists trying to sew up wage deal
13 September 2006
By Vicky Crawford: Te Waha Nui Online
 |
Photo: Vicky Crawford
|
The economic strain of industrial action has proved too much for striking workers at Cambridge Clothing, Auckland's oldest clothing manufacturer.
Staff, who are members of the National Distribution Union (NDU), have decided by majority vote to accept their employer's pay offer and return to work.
Union site organiser Stella Teariki says difficulty paying the bills and employer intimidation is behind the decision.
Last month union members and their supporters had called on the 139-year-old company to "sew us a better deal" in a rowdy picket outside the manufacturer's Great North Road premises.
Cambridge Clothing machinist Eita Tagaloa, who earns $13.98 an hour, was one of more than 50 staff who aired their grievances.
After 38 loyal years of service, she says: "It's time to put up our hand and say raise our wages.
"I've been working hard in this company for a very long time and I think we deserve a little more."
The (NDU) members were seeking a five per cent pay increase, after rejecting a company offer of 2.2 per cent.
They are upset at company plans to end long service leave and to initiate a second five day shut-down period - when annual leave will have to be taken.
Cars blasted their horns in support of the workers as they chanted and held up signs declaring "2.2% we won't wear it, 5% suits us better".
The NDU says the 24-hour strike and protest action is the first in living memory for New Zealand's oldest Kiwi-made clothing manufacturers. With inflation as high as four per cent, they say 2.2 percent just isn't enough to cover rising costs of living.
Teariki was disappointed 11 union members who had voted for the strike had pulled out because they were afraid of losing their jobs.
She says many staff are immigrants whose residency relies on the company supporting their application.
"Members are intimidated because of an underlying insinuation that work permits will not be renewed for strikers - though the company denies this."
Links:
- National Distribution Union
- Strike at oldest Kiwi clothing manufacturer
