Crowdsourced advert highlights Kiwis’ AFFCO concerns

Hundreds of concerned New Zealanders have come together to fund a full page advertisement in the Nelson Mail today to tell Sir Peter Talley to negotiate fairly with people who work at Talley’s-owned meat processor AFFCO.

The public message is the result of crowd-funding by Together – the digital campaigns arm of New Zealand’s union movement.

Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sam Huggard says the funds for the advertisement were raised in just two days. “This shows how strongly Kiwis feel about AFFCO workers getting a fair deal.”

“Sir Peter Talley needs to realise that his company’s behaviour isn’t just troubling for the people who work for AFFCO, but for their communities, and New Zealanders on the whole.”

“Thousands of people are now calling for AFFCO to negotiate fairly, and they’re making that call in Sir Peter’s local paper.”

“He needs to realise the damage AFFCO’s behaviour is doing to the people that work for the company and to Talley’s reputation, and start fixing this problem by engaging fairly with AFFCO workers.”

The text of the advertisement is based on an open letter signed by more than ten thousand people:

To Sir Peter Talley

You and your family have been part of the fabric of New Zealand’s society for decades. But your response to the Kiwis working in your Talley’s AFFCO meat-plants is out of line with our values as New Zealanders.

We are the people who live in your community, who buy your products, who have helped you and your family do so well for so long. Now we ask that you do the right thing by the Kiwis who work at AFFCO and:

Listen to your workers and accept their right to join unions and bargain as a group.
Negotiate fairly with your workers’ chosen representatives.
Give workers real input into health and safety.

We know you consider yourself to be a good New Zealander. It’s time to live up to that.