In 2010, Talleys, one of NZ’s biggest companies and owned by one of its richest families, took full control of the AFFCO Meatworks. It then embarked on a 5 year campaign to de-unionise it’s workforce. But workers in Wairoa and towns across the country said no. They were locked out 3 times in 5 years. This is the story of their resistance and goes to the heart of strategic debate about what is symbolic vs what builds leverage.

We spoke with;

Peter Amato, Meatworker in the beefhouse at Wairoa and Meatworkers Union delegate

Simon Oosterman, union organiser brought in by the CTU halfway through the dispute 

Ross Webb, an historian whose thesis was on the history of the Meatworkers Union

Ross’ brilliant thesis on the history of the Meatworkers Union and his Oral History Project of the lockout and a YouTube playlist of news coverage

RNZ podcast about the 2015 experience in Wairoa

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Thanks to Masarima and Clone Records for the title music

Thanks to Ethan Hunter for his music

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