Maritime Union boycotts Progressive to support strike

Members of the Maritime Union are boycotting supermarkets owned by Progressive Enterprises to show solidarity with the company's distribution centre workers, who have been locked out for the past three weeks.

The unions acting for the workers have rejected a 3.5 per cent pay rise offer from Progressive. The company is refusing to budge on the issue of separate agreements.

Maritime Union president Phil Adams said his members realised they could be in the same position as the locked out workers and as well as boycotting Progressive's supermarkets, members were pledging financial support by contributing one hour's wages per week until the dispute was settled.

The National Distribution Union and the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union have asked the Employment Court to make a ruling on whether the lockout is legal.

- NEWSTALK ZB