Strikers now into 10th day without pay

Six hundred striking distribution workers entered their tenth day off work today with no settlement in sight.

Mediation between the National Distribution Union (NDU), the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) and supermarket operator Progressive Enterprises ended at 5pm yesterday without a settlement or the setting of a further mediation date.

NDU National Secretary Laila Harre said the unions had hoped to continue talks with Progressive until a settlement had been reached, but that this had not proved possible to date.

"After 10 days without pay, Progressive continues to demand that the 600 distribution workers give up their claim for a national agreement before the company will let them return to work," she said.

The workers are demanding a single nationwide collective agreement and pay parity for Auckland and Christchurch workers with Palmerston North.

The workers want equal pay rates and all existing allowances combined into a site allowance, an 8 per cent pay rise and an extra week's service leave.

Ms Harre said pickets outside supermarkets would continue with the aim of preventing the use of illegal replacement labour and to inform supermarket customers about the strike.

In a statement yesterday, PEL managing director Marty Hamnett appealed for calm following "growing hostility" on the picket line.

"This follows an incident of assault and aggressive behaviour by NDU-led picketers outside Countdown Colombo Street in Christchurch," Mr Hamnett said.

Ms Harre disputed this and said a union member was clipped by a vehicle on a picket line but the concern was the behaviour of the driver and not the picketer.

Mr Hamnett said he urged union members to remain calm while the company continued its efforts to settle the dispute through mediation.

- NZPA