Mixed compo outcome for Affco

Two workers at Affco's Wairoa freezing works have been awarded compensation by the Employment Relations Authority for unjustified dismissal following a company investigation into meat thefts.
But two other employees, Trevor Waikawa and Lionel Mathieson, came away from the authority empty-handed after both had earlier admitted taking meat for their own use.
Mr Waikawa was dismissed and Mr Mathieson resigned after Affco alleged they had unauthorised possession of meat and were distributing it.
Authority member Paul Stapp said one informant had identified Mr Waikawa as a "major thief" and during the investigation in April last year Affco's private investigator, Peter Archer, told him the company was "after the big thieves, not the little thieves".
Mr Waikawa phoned Mr Archer to tell him he had taken chops, which he had hidden in his gumboots, and his family had eaten them.
Seven days later Mr Waikawa was dismissed by the company, after 23 years' service.
Mr Archer told Mr Mathieson he had information he and others had been stealing shoulders from a special export order a few months earlier.
Mr Mathieson denied that but admitted taking lamb racks. He said he was admitting it so the company could get its facts straight.
He was suspended the following day but was not re-interviewed as he resigned, saying the situation was too stressful for him.
Mr Stapp said Affco relied on the original charges of unauthorised possession and distribution of meat to dismiss the men.
Mr Waikawa's admission of taking meat for his own personal use fell short of this charge.
He had a personal grievance but only because the company could not justify dismissing him on the basis of untested information from unnamed informants, Mr Stapp said.
He would have been entitled to compensation for hurt, humiliation and loss of dignity, had he not admitted taking meat home.
Mr Mathieson's claim for constructive dismissal was dismissed. In a separate decision, Mr Stapp found Ronald Nepia and Sonny Morunga had personal grievances for unjustified dismissal following the same allegations.
They denied stealing meat and said they were treated unfairly because the allegations were rumours.
Mr Stapp said unnamed informants were used because Wairoa was a small town with gang connections and it was possible people would be threatened.
He found there was no evidence of any wrongdoing by Mr Nepia and Mr Morunga.
Mr Morunga, who did not seek reinstatement, was awarded three months' lost wages on his base wages and $8000 compensation for humiliation, loss of dignity and injury to feelings.
Mr Nepia was to be reinstated to his previous position and awarded three months' lost wages plus $8000 compensation.