Bacon factory worker Pat Scully is disappointed she’s still basically on a minimum wage despite working for the company for 11 years.
She was one of around 40 staff members with the E tū Union picketing outside the Premier Beehive factory in Carterton on Tuesday asking for pay rises with backpay.
Scully said it was disheartening that someone with her experience couldn’t even command a living wage and, if it wasn’t for her superannuation, she would struggle to get by.
The current minimum wage increased to $18.90 on April 1 this year and the living wage was $22.10.
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The Australian-owned Premier Beehive NZ employs more than 300 staff, most of whom work in the Carterton factory.
It is the town’s biggest employer and staff commute from Masterton to the north and Martinborough to the south.
Premier Beehive managing director Dene McKay said they were progressing through the bargaining process with the union but had not reached an agreement.
“In these difficult times and challenges faced with Covid-19, we are hopeful of finding an agreement next week at mediation.”
E tū Union organiser George Hollinsworth said the staff’s willingness to “put their heads above the parapet” showed that they were upset with the company’s current offer.
“They’re wound up enough to stand out in front of the company office … which says to me they’re quite angry about this.”
Hollinsworth said the main concern was that those with experience and holding roles of responsibility, such as line supervisor, weren’t being adequately compensated.
“Being able to supervise 10 or 15 people on a production line … takes a level of skill. Why would you have someone in that kind of job with nine years’ service and still being paid under the living wage?”
Line supervisor Trish Snell of Carterton was picketing with her colleagues and said people with responsibilities should get paid more depending on their skills.
She wanted to see everyone get a pay increase back-dated to April when the contract negotiations should have been resolved.
”I think we should get backpay because we worked all the way through Covid.”
A rolling picket was in effect outside the main gates on Moreton Rd on Tuesday from around 10am until after lunch with union workers joining during their breaks, Hollinsworth said.
Of the 150 union members working at the factory, only 22 were earning more than a living wage.
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