Workers to picket Pak'nSave Hastings for the second time

  • 30/06/2018
A sign outside a Pak'nSave store.
Photo credit: Getty

More than 50 staff at Pak'nSave Hastings will be picketing outside the store on Saturday after talks with the store owner broke down.

It's the second time staff have walked off the job at the store in recent weeks, after previously striking on Saturday, June 16.

FIRST Union organiser Mike McNab said the company was refusing to give workers a pay rise.

"The owner is digging in, he won't budge on pay, and is pushing out bargaining dates as far as he can," he said.

"He trespassed me from the store two days ago to try to undermine the union, despite the fact it's illegal." 

Owner-operator Brendon Smith told NZME it was "disappointing" the union was picketing while mediation was still planned.

"The previous picket organised by FIRST Union included mostly third parties supporting the union's cause and did not have the number of attendees as stated in their press release."

Mr McNab said the strike action was not directed at neighbouring Pak'nSaves in Tamatea and Napier - in fact, some shoppers had been heading to Pak'nSave Napier due to their anger and the Hastings store.

"At Hastings workers are paid poverty wages, and well below the living wage - the owner seems to want to be a minimum wage employer."

The present living wage equates to a yearly pay of $42,744. The minimum wage is about $34,320.

Newshub.