Fletcher Building workers to picket outside the company's headquarters

Tuesday, 24 October 2017

About 30 workers at construction giant Fletcher Building will protest outside Fletcher headquarters for better pay.

Quarry workers, drivers, and distribution workers plan to picket at 810 Great South Road, Penrose, at 10am.

SkyCity's convention centre was due to be ready in early 2019 but will now not open until mid-2019.

The workers from Firth Concrete, Laminex, Mico Bathrooms and Winstones Aggregates are taking strike action in support of a pay rise.

First Union spokesman Jared Abbott said about 30 workers will picket at the head office building and about 70 workers will picket their worksites.

Quarry workers, drivers, and distribution workers plan to picket outside Fletcher Building headquarters at 10am on Tuesday.

* Fletcher Building chief executive resigns, profit downgraded

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* Departure costs Fletcher Building boss heavily**

The union plans to bring everyone together on Wednesday to protest Fletcher's AGM, which is being held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Abbott said the company was not offering workers enough to keep up with the cost of living.

A Fletcher Building spokeswoman said the company is one of New Zealand's largest employers, and highly values its nearly 10,000 employees.

'First Union has indicated people unrelated to Fletcher Building will be invited to participate in its proposed strike activity, however we are expecting fewer than 33 people from just one of our businesses, Firth, to take part,' she said.

'Arrangements have been made to minimise impact on our customers.'

It follows 12 Fletcher staff going on strike in September for better pay.

In August, the same quarry workers staged a one-day walk-off to protest poor pay and conditions.

The disruption comes after Fletcher Building announced a massive profit downgrade earlier in the year.

First Union had taken legal proceedings against the company for offering workers individual agreements during collection agreement negotiations.

The union claims the company's actions have undermined collective agreement negotiations.

In March, Fletcher Building staff lost their jobs after a possible $150 million profit hit caused by costs on two major projects.

The company then started a review of its building and interiors business, responsible for the losses of the previous year.

In June, Fletcher Building issued a profit downgrade, chief executive Mark Adamson left, and the company confirmed a delay to the $700 million SkyCity International Convention Centre in Auckland.