A retired couple who worked at a caravan park in exchange for a free site were volunteers - not employees says the ERA.

The accident involved a meat hook at the Affco NZ plant in Rangiuru, the same meatworks which was fined $30,000 this week after a hook penetrated a worker's head.

Meat processor Affco has been ordered to pay $55,000 over an incident that left a worker hanging on a meat hook for an hour.

Meat Worker Union members protested outside Talley's Affco Rangiuru yesterday, after the company laid off 214 workers for the season.

An Affco meatworking plant failed to follow its own safety rules in a case which led to a cleaner becoming impaled on a meat hook, a court has found.

An employer says he's embarrassed, but wants other business owners to beware, after one of his workers charged with handling - and monitoring - finances stole $146k.

Former Health Minister Tony Ryall has found post-Parliament life at major law firm Simpson Grierson.