New Zealand saw strikes at two workplaces this weekend. On Saturday workers at produce distribution company Turners and Growers walked off the job. The workers plan to continue a series of ‘lightening strikes’ until they get a reasonable pay offer.

Karl Anderson of the National Distribution Union said in a press release that he will be talking with other unions involved in the fruit and vegetable supply chain about actions they can take to support his members and increase the incentive for the company to come up with a decent pay offer.

Then on Sunday checkout operators at Pak n’ Save Glen Innes went out on strike. The workers are asking for a 30c increase on the store’s new pay step system introduced in April, along with the removal of unfair performance appraisal criteria required to go up the new pay steps. These changes would bring the pay rates closer to pay parity with other unionized Pak ‘n Saves in Auckland.
NDU national secretary Laila Harre told Radio New Zealand that the current economic recession has made these strikes necessary;

Over the last few years, people have been able to work longer hours to make up for what New Zealand has experienced for some time now, and that is very low wages.

With the downturn, they can no longer work extra hours. They’re having their hours cut, casual workers are being laid off - and so their basic rate of pay is more and more important.

Economists are predicting that the labor market will be the largest area of concern as New Zealand is hit by global economic problems. Construction and related industries, as well as the tourism sector, are likely to face job losses, and unemployment is expected to climb from the current level of 3.4% to around 5% by the end of next year.