Atlas Quarry workers issued with lockout notice after strike in Northland

Atlas Quarry workers have now been locked out. Photo/ Michael Cunningham

Fourteen workers at a Northland quarry have been issued a lockout notice by their bosses after failing to come to an agreement over better pay rates and conditions.

On Thursday the workers went on strike and were then suspended and trespassed from the Atlas Quarry site on the southern side of the Brynderwyn Hills.

First Union spokesman Bryce Hamilton said he met the chief executive officer of Atlas Quarries yesterday after he was told there was a new offer on the table.

However, Hamilton said it was a variation of the offer that had been on the table for about 10 months and was not accepted by the workers.

"They weren't prepared to move on the offer that had been on the table for 10 months," Hamilton said.

He was then given a lockout notice which he delivered to the workers on the picket line outside the main gates to the quarry off State Highway 1.

It meant they would not be at work from Monday until an agreement could be reached.

Atlas Quarries Chief Executive Officer Graham Collie did not respond to requests by the Northern Advocate for comment yesterday.

Hamilton said the 14 workers, including truck drivers and quarry workers, were striking over pay and conditions, mainly wanting to remove a clause in their contract which made truck drivers available to work for up to 88 hours per week.

The workers had been paid about $20 an hour, less than the industry standard of around $24 an hour.