A Hawke's Bay iwi says some children are going to school without lunch because whanau striking at an AFFCO meat plant in Wairoa are finding it harder to get by.
From Monday, Ngati Kahungunu will collect food for unionised workers locked out of the AFFCO plant.
The 110 workers are among about 1000 employees throughout the North Island shut out by management in a dispute over pay and conditions.
About 170 staff are still working at the northern Hawke's Bay site.
Ngati Kahungunu will open the resource centre in Wairoa for the community to drop off food and offer services to the locked-out striking workers and their families.
Iwi deputy chair Rill Meihana says the tribe is not taking sides in the dispute - just helping people in need.
The centre is next to the Wairoa Taiwhenua office on Marine Parade and will be opened by Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples.
