Te Puke meat workers laid off

Around one hundred meat workers in Te Puke have been laid off - all of them union members.

The Talley's-owned meat processor Affco has been in and out of court for the past year, following a lock-out over union workers' refusal to sign individual contracts.

Meat Workers Union organising director Darien Fenton says these lay-offs at the Rangiuru plant are likely a by-product of this court action, as the company throws its weight around.

She says the last Employment Court decisions were in favour of the union - and the company's not happy.