Rose says goodbye after 40 years in job

Rose White has worked at the Silver Fern Farms in Whakatu for 40 years. Photo / Paul Taylor

After 40 years and 328 days at Silver Fern Farms in Whakatu, Rose White has hung up her apron and knives.

It was people such as Mrs White the industry needed to look after, her niece and Ikaroa Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri said.

The meatworks were "part and parcel of our whanau", Ms Whaitiri said.

Back when the industry was booming, a meatworks job brought high wages and families would travel to and settle in the Bay for the steady employment.

"It was a good sustainable source of income."

With the high level of employment, crime was reduced and community engagement increased.

This created a "vibrant community", Ms Whaitiri said.

However, when the doors closed as a result of the South Island takeover, jobs were lost and whanau suffered.

Ms Whaitiri said Hawke's Bay might have Wattie's but it had seen nothing on the scale of the meatworks since the 1986 closure.

"Meat workers were the backbone of the economy.

"The industry has played a major role in my whanau as it has for many whanau throughout Hawke's Bay."

A planned march on Parliament today was called off when iwi leaders intervened.

The turnaround came after Meat Workers Union representatives met Andrew Talley, director of Affco and owner of Talleys, and iwi leaders Ken Mair and Tuku Morgan on Saturday.

Talleys was brought back to the table to negotiate the collective agreement.

Ms Whaitiri said she was pleased that negotiations were under way.

"My only wish is that the industry and its present owners reciprocate and do the right thing."

The "right thing" would be too late for Mrs White, though.

She was thanked for her long service with a handshake only.

Mrs White and her sisters had dedicated over 100 years to the industry between them.

The lack of a farewell had disappointed them.

"It makes me feel unappreciated," Mrs White said.The work had begun to take its toll on the 71-year-old and she was looking forward to her days being her own again.

"I have been looking forward to this and I'm glad I got to retire while I'm still smiling."

Working hard was ingrained into the whanau from a young age, she said.

"We knew nothing else."