It's the employment dispute that’s dividing a once tight-knit community of Wairoa.
Union workers at Talley’s AFFCO meat processing plant who are trying to renegotiate a collective agreement that expired two years ago say they’re being pushed to sign up to individual employment contracts.
Union delegate Teena Davis says it's a situation that has turned whānau against whānau.
"I know of two sisters one's an IEA and ones a union. We've got a son, father grandfather, some are IEA's some are union; there's a big rift in their family, in the whole town, if people look around. It’s divided our town."
Since 1916, the Wairoa AFFCO plant has helped build the NZ red meat industry into an $8 billion a year export earner.
In 2010, Talleys gained full ownership of this successful company, but since then workers say they've put pressure on union employees.
AFFCO denies this and says they aren’t applying pressure -- it's an issue of compatibility.
"We wish the agreements to be compatible as possible for operational matters."
"It's not about unions or non unions. It is about having modern terms to ensure the future of the business for all stakeholders."
Teena says despite the stress they union members are holding fast.
"They're trying to break us one by one but they've got a long way to go"
The Hui screens at 9.30am Sunday on TV3.
