'Fantastic' first ever freezing workers reunion

The first ever freezing workers reunion for former workers at GRC went off extremely well on Saturday. From left are Tom Stevens (speaker), Robbie Blair (organiser), Wayne Muir (speaker), Tauha “Nick” Nikora (speaker), Wayne Tautau (organiser) and Doug Symes (organiser).Picture by Liam Clayton

More than 180 former workers at the Gisborne Refrigerating Company took a walk down memory lane on Saturday in the freezing workers reunion.

“It was a fantastic afternoon at the Cosmopolitan Club,” co-organiser Robbie Blair said,

It was the first time since the closure of the Weddel Kaiti works in late 1994 that a reunion has been held for the hundreds of men, and some women, who worked there.

The afternoon started with a welcome and two minutes of silence for the workers who had passed away.

Several of the plant’s leading staff prior to that fateful day gave speeches, and then the catch-ups began.

One of the speakers — Nick Nikora — was head foreman at the mutton slaughterhouse at GRC.

“Nick paid tribute to the late Rangi Paenga, who was the national meatworkers union president at the time of the closure,” said Wayne Tautau, another of the reunion organisers.

“He fought so hard to keep that plant going. The workers there at the time have nothing but praise for what Rangi tried to do.”

Other speakers included former slaughterman and mutton chain 2IC Wayne Muir and union delegate at the time of the closure, Tom Stevens.

Mr Blair said it was so great to see the former workers mingling and reacquainting after such a long time.

“They went away with smiles on their faces, which was great to see,” he said.

“It made Doug (Symes) and Wayne (Tautau) and I so pleased that our efforts in organising the reunion were so worthwhile,” Mr Blair said.

The oldest former worker to attend on Saturday was 95.

“We had some guys who intended to come down from the East Coast but with the closure of State Highway 35 on Saturday they couldn’t get here, which was a shame, “ Mr Symes said.

“We will wait to see what feedback we receive before any decisions get made about future reunions.

“We won’t have another one next year at this stage, but hope to have another one at some stage. We’ll see what happens.”

Mr Symes said Saturday’s event was a special day.

“It was quite emotional for many of us — lots of handshakes and hugs.

“We will do it again at some stage.”