Meat sucks but not as much as Taylors

This morning as commuters crawled along the Ngauranga Gorge on their way to work a group of about 150 - 200 people were outside their work on strike. The 200 picketing strikers represent three hundred strikers, who represent the thousands of poverty stricken underpaid minimum wage workers of Aotearoa. Some friends and I thought we would go and give them our support by joining the picket.

The workers are from the Taylor Preston meat works which is a meat processing plant that supplies A.E Preston butcheries in Wellington, Porirua and Palmerston North. Workers "work on continuous process lines that never stop - in freezers; in heat; in blood, guts and filth." They work extremely long hours for the most part on minimum adult wage - $9.50 an hour. The managing director of the plant is Andrew Taylor. The Taylor family are worth $57 million according to the National Business Review. Andrew Taylor once said "We don't have a problem with unions, we just don't have them." This statement reflects the treatment payed out to the meat workers in return for their sweat and blood. The management have tried everything to stop the workers unionising, threatening to close the plant, calling in the cops to stop talks with union organisers, refusing MPs entry to the plant, refusing any form of refreshment other than boiling water, docking pay when the machinery breaks down, threatening police prosecution when six sheets of company paper where used to copy a secret ballot result for the notice board and threatening dismissal for anyone caught distributing union material. You can read all about it in a Half page union advert in the scummy dom post page A9 Tuesday the 7th of Feb.

So basically this is a case of extreme exploitation. The people I met down at the picket were really nice and struggling to get by, most of them have families to look after (many of whom were at the picket) which is near impossible on a minimum wage. The benefit is not really an option as there is too long a stand down if they are sacked. These people can not afford to lose their jobs but are taking the risk because their working conditions are more degrading than not having a job. The bosses know this, which is why they have got away with it for so long' however things are set to change; the exploitation must end.

The workers were offered a thirty cent pay rise and when this was refused they were offered a 10% pay increase over the next three years ,which is ridiculous as the minimum wage is likely to outstrip this before then, so needless to say they declined. The strike is now on day two and will hopefully only go one more day. The workers aren't paid for the days they are on strike and this is a huge sacrifice for them. Their humility is inspiring as they are out on a limb and they are not asking for anything more than for people to write to: Taylor Preston Ltd, office@tpl.co.nz .

Most of the workers have never been on strike or a picket before and are new to the union however they are strong and committed. I think their demands will be met as I can't see them backing down. One striker said that the strike experience should not just be about getting a pay rise but making the workers stronger, regaining their dignity and learning to organise. Choice!

Joining the picket was very humbling and reminded me how privileged I am, not having a family of my own to care for and not needing to work. I don't want people to have to work for bosses or to eat meat but those are my personal choices. From my place of privilege I can't stand by and ignore the exploitation of the poor for the gross benefit of the rich and powerful. It was awesome to see people organising to tell the boss to shove it. The Taylor family make me sick and angry. How can they live at peace while hoarding so much wealth? With the full knowledge that their staff are poverty stricken and suffering under the conditions they enforce. Andrew Taylor should be made to pay.

All power to the strikers. I wish them all the best. m rawnsley.