9:30 AM
As anger over an imminent strike by meatworks veterinarians grows in rural communities, Federated Farmers says it is under pressure from some of its members to publish the names and addresses of strikers.
The chief executive of Federated Farmers, Tony St. Clair, told National Radio this morning that vets are already highly paid, and that they are trying to raise "their gold-plated status through to one of platinum virtually."
He said a strike, which could last two weeks or more, would jeopardise millions of dollars worth of exports. Meatworks cannot operate without the vets, who certify meat for export.
The strike is set to begin at midnight tomorrow.
"Our people are desperate to access these markets and they're not going to take it quietly," Mr St. Clair said.
Publishing the vets' names was one action being considered by Federated Farmers, Mr St. Clair said. The organisation was exploring every option to encourage a settlement in the dispute between the veterinarians and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF).
Ivan Finlayson, negotiator for the National Union of Public Employees (Nupe), which represents most of the meatworks vets, said publishing vets' names and addresses would be "a disgusting, low-level tactic."
He told National Radio the action could place vets in danger.
Mr Finlayson said the dispute over pay and work conditions could be settled at a cost to MAF of less than $2 million. He said vets had not had a pay increase for 10 years.
But Mr St. Clair said farmers and the meat industry could not afford to meet the vet's demands.
"When you start looking at retrospective payments, you've got to believe in fairies in the bottom of the garden in this day and age if you think those sort
of things are going to go through."
MAF will decide today whether to appeal against a court decision that cleared meatworks veterinarians to strike from Friday.
Yesterday, Employment Court Chief Judge Tom Goddard rejected MAF's legal moves to stop the strikes.
MAF ponders appeal over yes to strike
Angry farmers want to publish names of striking vets
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