14 May 2012

More facilitation in AFFCO dispute

5:39 pm on 14 May 2012

AFFCO and the Meatworkers Union will meet in the Employment Court on Wednesday, following three days of facilitation talks that ended on Monday.

The two parties are in an industrial dispute affecting 8 processing plants in the North Island.

About 500 workers are locked out, while a further 800 are on strike.

The Employment Relations Authority granted the union's request for what is known as facilitation, the highest form of government-assisted mediation.

The union and the company have been unable to negotiate a new collective employment agreement for nearly three months.