After learning that a distribution company will no longer pay overtime, its employees have gone on strike in protest of what they say are not fair working conditions. Move Logistics has a contract with Lion Breweries following winning the contract bid earlier this year and taking over from BevChain.
About 40 workers from Move Logistics were seen protesting on Thursday against the recent pay conditions and the removal of overtime hours.
Worker Piilua Tuaimalo says “The loss that I have is almost two hundred dollars a week.”
Another woman who spoke to Te Ao News, who did not want to be identified says, “At the end of the week I get $700-800 and once I pay off my bills, you know my rent, I’m basically left with $100 to support myself throughout the week and I’ve got family to provide for. And ever since Move came over, took over, it cut off our overtime rates, our shift allowances, so we basically have nothing.”
More than 100 workers work for Move Logistics. The majority are Māori and Pacific Islanders.
Strike continues tomorrow
First Union spokesperson, Stephen Hassan says his members there work for Move Logistics “which handles the warehousing and distribution for Lion. It’s a 24-hour operation, there are people working long, long hours, and you know they always historically had overtime for hours over 40 and after eight daily”.
It’s understood the average wage is $25.50 per hour. “They did know what these workers were being paid from the previous contractor. They had the intention to pay less and have fewer favourable conditions for these workers,” Hassan says. “Like we can do it cheaper - these people will pay for it.”
Te Ao News understands 26 trucks were turned away due to the strike causing logistical mayhem.
“We want a quick result. These guys want to get back to work. They just want to work for fair wages.”
Tuaimalo says “I hope we get what we want, and I’m sure 100% that Move (Logistics) will definitely do what we want.”
The workers will strike again for the third day straight on Friday.
In response, Move Logistics Group says “the strike involves a very small number of union members. The facility remains fully resourced and there are no disruptions to service. MOVE is fully compliant with all its obligations to its employees and continues to engage with the union in good faith.”
A Lion spokesperson says the company has been informed by MOVE, its warehousing partner in Auckland, that its union members will be striking for three days.
“We do not anticipate any major impact on customer orders at this stage. The negotiations are between MOVE and the union, and so we cannot comment on these matters.”.