Maritime union criticises migrant labour plan

Two South Island seafood companies want to bring in migrant labour, just a week after massive layoffs in the sector.

Sealord has announced plans to axe 323 jobs from its Nelson mussel factory and now Talleys and Aotearoa Seafood have applied to import 100 migrant workers.

Trevor Hanson, general secretary of the the Maritime Union, says the use of temporary labour from overseas is threatening local employment and is not the way to get a stable employment situation or a stable society.

Mr Hanson says New Zealanders should not lose the opportunity for employment because of overseas labour taking up jobs for the minimum wage of $12 an hour. He wants the Government to step in and stop cheap immigration.

- NEWSTALK ZB