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15 November, 2010
Some 117 members of ICEM affiliate Engineering, Printing, and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) in New Zealand began a one-day industrial action against the global plastics and packaging company Sealed Air on 8 November at the company’s Cryovac subsidiary in Porirua.
The strike came five days after workers at the plastic bag and food packaging plant rejected an inferior 2010 wage offer and then voted for the industrial action. The action includes a ban on all short-notice overtime work.
EPMU's Tim Awatere
Cryovac Sealed Air offered a 2% increase. EPMU Organiser Mark James said that falls short of a fair deal, considering Sealed Air’s 2009 profit sheet. The world’s 19th largest paper packaging firm by assets held, posted US$13.15 million in net profits last year, up US$8.6 million over 2008.
“Two percent would effectively be a pay cut for our members because inflation is set to rise over 4%” in 2011,” said James. EPMU members at Cryovac Sealed Air work 12-hour shifts, four days on, four days off, in what James calls “very unsociable hours.”
EPMU's Aaron Bailey
Pay negotiations were to resume on 11 November but if no improved pay offer was put forward, further strike actions could re-occur.