Thousands of tonnes of plastic that New Zealand used to send to China for recycling is now going to Malaysia, where illegal factories are burning and dumping the waste they can’t process.
According to the latest list of registered orchards and packaging factories, the first commercial New Zealand avocados have officially entered the Chinese market and are now on sale at Tmall.
Over 100 mainly tomato hot-house gardeners and distribution workers will walk off the job for 24 hours (4am Monday 24th to 4am Tuesday 25th) over bleak pay and the company refusing to come to the table to address worker's concerns. Workers at the nine striking sites will also picket each main site; the five Auckland sites gathering at the Favona site and an individual picket at every other site outside of Auckland (Ohaupo, Reporoa, Palmerston North and Christchurch). The pickets will begin at 7am, media are invited to attend. Bargaining began in February with FIRST Union workers seeking a national agreement to save time and money for both parties and a raise to the Living Wage due to the unlivable pay packets workers are currently struggling to survive on (most workers are currently on minimum wage or just above this). However the company is refusing to return to the negotiation table unless workers agree to abandon talks over a national agreement.This is the same company that just last year attempted to defend its belief that irrigation water was suitable drinking water for its workers. FIRST Union and the workers eventually won the right to a supply of safe drinking water to the parched workers. FIRST Union lead organiser Denise Roche says it’s disappointing the company hasn’t learnt its lesson.“It’s basic human dignity that most children are taught. Turners & Growers needs to be reminded to respect and value its workers. That’s what this strike’s about; respecting human dignity and valuing hard-working people.” Ms Roche says it’s also a prime example of why employment law legislation on the duty to conclude is so desperately needed by workers.“The company has no respect for workers’ concerns, the duty to conclude means employers such as T&G must talk with workers on all of their concerns, not only the ones the company wishes to speak about.”
A trio of Dunedin inventors have secured a crucial contract to supply their medical emergency first-aid shelters to a large Australian distributor — and have some impressive Aussie businesses already signed up.
Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Pacific Peoples Carmel Sepuloni will represent New Zealand at the opening of the Oceania exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London on Tuesday 25 September.
Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni has launched a new New Zealand Sign Language strategy on the inaugural International Day of Sign Languages.
Peruvian lubricants manufacturer, Vistony, will establish its Australia and New Zealand headquarters in Geelong, Victoria, with sights set on beginning operations in early 2019.
Bloomberg reports “four people familiar with the matter” who asked not to be named, said the Dubai airline was in preliminary talks to consider buying its neighbouring unprofitable Abu Dhabi airline, though negotiations could yet fall through.