Hundreds of jobs at meat plant uncertain

Hundred jobs may be on the line as meat processing company PPCS holds a meeting tomorrow to discuss the future of its sheep processing plant at Oringi near Dannevirke.

A company spokesman said the meeting with staff would consider the "viability of the plant going forward".

The plant employs 100 permanent staff, along with seasonal workers.

The spokesman said chief executive Keith Cooper would address the meeting which would be followed by a media briefing at 1pm.

New Zealand Meat Workers and Related Trades Union Inc national president Mike Nahu said it had been told PPCS would be putting a "proposal to all workers".

He said PPCS had been keeping their "cards pretty close to their chest".

Mr Nahu said it was a pity the company had not told the workers about the meeting while they were still at the plant.

Many workers stopped work a fortnight ago because of a seasonal layoff.

He said he did not like the uncertainty and the company could have approached it better.

An industry source told Hawke's Bay Today that in his opinion Oringi was a "dead duck" with "productivity too low and costs too high", but whether it closed tomorrow might be dependent on the forecast for the bobbycalf season.

The closure of the meat works would come as a huge blow to Dannevirke, with the district still recovering from job losses at the Norsewear clothing plant in 2007 and the Feltex carpet plant in 2006.

Tararua District Mayor Maureen Reynolds said the company had promised to call her immediately after the meeting..."and rightly so because the staff should be the first people informed of the outcome of the meeting.

"There is a lot of speculation and anxiety from those that work there and from everyone around town," she said.

- NZPA