Union movement behind striking workers at Southward Engineering

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) is organising support for striking workers at Southward Engineering in Wellington, who have been suspended without pay by their employer. The workers, members of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) are campaigning for a 5% pay increase."Unions will not stand by and let this hard-nosed company bully their workers into accepting an offer below their 5% claim, by trying to starve them back to work," said Ross Wilson, CTU President. "This heavy handed approach from Southward to this group of workers, some who have been with the firm for more than thirty years, is not acceptable."

The CTU is organising the support of affiliate trade unions in New Zealand to an EPMU donation fund to assist the suspended workers.