Blueprints S2E3 - Wairoa x Talleys Meatworkers Lockout - NZ 2010 - 2016 - Part 1

In 2010, Talleys, one of NZ’s biggest companies and owned by one of its richest families, took full control of the AFFCO Meatworks. It then embarked on a 5 year campaign to de-unionise it’s workforce. But workers in Wairoa and towns across the country said no. They were locked out 3 times in 5 years. This is the story of their resistance and goes to the heart of strategic debate about what is symbolic vs what builds leverage.

We spoke with:

• Peter Amato, Meatworker in the beefhouse at Wairoa and Meatworkers Union delegate

• Simon Oosterman, union organiser brought in by the CTU halfway through the dispute 

• Ross Webb, an historian whose thesis was on the history of the Meatworkers Union

• Ross’ brilliant thesis on the history of the Meatworkers Union and his Oral History Project of the lockout and a YouTube playlist of news coverage

• RNZ podcast about the 2015 experience in Wairoa

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Thanks to Masarima and Clone Records for the title music

Thanks to Ethan Hunter for his music

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