Update: Horticulture Workers’ Dispute

The May Issue of The Spark carried a story about a dispute involving horticulture workers at Southern Paprika Ltd in Warkworth. The owner of the Company has since made comments directed at the Union at a seminar organised by the Kiribati Protestant Church. Hamish Alexander is reported as saying:

“One family got upset with us and decided to bring the union in, and as a company I can tell you that this has put a wall between me and my Kiribati people, and it’s a real problem.”

The Union Secretary, Ray Bianchi, has replied with the advice:

“Exercise your legal right and join the Union and ensure you get protection from manipulative Employers. Unionised Workers are treated better than non-Unionised and predominantly earn more.”