Foodstuffs rejects talk of sackings

Foodstuffs has allegedly threatened temporary distribution centre workers they could lose their jobs if they speak to their union..

Around 70 Foodstuffs workers at a chilled and frozen food distribution centre in South Auckland are striking for seven days against the company’s use of hundreds of labour-hire employees in place of permanent employees.

First Union spokeswoman Lisa Meto Fox said the distribution manager called a meeting with the workers on the first day of the strike on Thursday and said seven workers were fired for speaking to the union.

Foodstuffs owns the Pak ‘n Save and New World supermarkets.

Foodstuffs chief executive Chris Quin said: ‘‘We are astounded to read the claim by the union that seven people were fired for taking part in the strike’’.

‘‘This is a baseless allegation. There is no truth to it. The mood on site has been quite amicable.’’

Meto Fox said the information had come from a worker at the meeting.

The union also received a letter from a previous temporary worker at the distribution centre, who alleged he was forced to work in an expired harness and in freezers without appropriate warm clothing in 2015.

‘‘When he raised his concerns repeatedly to Foodstuffs he was let go,’’ Meto Fox said.

‘‘This is typical bullying behaviour from a company that exploits the labourhire workers’ insecure work arrangements.

‘‘This is a highly profitable company preying on some of the most vulnerable workers in society.’’

The union would file a complaint to the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association, which represents labourhire firms, and may take the matter to the Employment Relations Authority, Meto Fox said.

‘‘We will defend every worker who is dismissed for exercising their legal right to freedom of association.’’