'Attack on our workers’: Coca-Cola staff stage strike action

Coca-Cola union workers are protesting against the pay disparity and lack of transparency at the soft drink maker.

Coca Cola EuroPacific Partners (CCEP) union workers have been on strike since Tuesday outside both the company’s Christchurch and Auckland plants.

More than 30 Pacific workers are involved in the strike action.

Among the workers’ main concerns is the lack of transparency on how much non-unionised workers earn on their individual employment agreement (IEA).

Speaking to William Terite on Pacific Mornings, E Tū organiser Alvy Tata said there was a pay disparity between unionised and non-unionised workers that remains unaddressed.

Tata said union workers, whether working their regular hours or overtime, "do the same job [as non-unionised workers] and are paid less".

"Non-union have a drink allowance of $1000 and we get $600 as union members," she said.

"They get better service leave entitlement. This year, non-union workers got 5 per cent - the latest offer they gave us 4.5 per cent and a longer term."

She said negotiations have been ongoing since August but that Coca-Cola failed to acknowledge the pay disparity and withheld information around the IEAs.

"When an employer is not being transparent at the table and working with us in good faith, that says a lot about the management of this New Zealand team."

Tata said the Christchurch strike number was 40 while in Auckland it was around 90.

CCEP NZ Christchurch celebrated 50 years last year. Photo /CCEP NZ

E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh said the company’s approach tarnished their international brand, especially since they celebrated themselves as a top 10 "most attractive employers".

“We see how much money Coca-Cola makes both here and globally, yet workers are living week-to-week on inadequate wages,” Mackintosh said.

“Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is a public supporter of pay transparency, yet they are not living up to that commitment.”

Tata said the disparity attitude reflected across the motu for every worker, adding that "under this government, this is what employers think they can do".

"That's a double-edge for our union and union people because with new workers, why would they join our union E Tū when you get more on an individual employment agreement (IEA)?

"The other flip side to this is we'll have members who jump over to an IEA.

"It's absolutely an attack on workers in our country."

Photo /Unsplash.

She said another reason employees joined a union at Coca-Cola was a sense of collectivism and family, who strived to improve working conditions.

Tata said Coca-Cola NZ made a billion dollars in profit yet "offer our people less".

"That behaviour needs to stop and the only way we can do that when workers' rights are under attack is to get out there, stand up, and fight back."

The company said it was “incredibly proud to be a leading employer in Aotearoa New Zealand” and aimed to create a positive workplace for its people to thrive.

“We enjoy high employee engagement scores of more than 80 per cent across our organisation including our supply chain team,” Coca-Cola said in a statement.

“Our current offer would see all our union members paid above the Living Wage and with the increase above inflation.

“We also offer considerable other benefits such as paid volunteer days, Coke Gifting, employee share plan, Support My Cause where CCEP supports local charities, community organisations or good causes chosen by our team, long service recognition, free wills and life insurance.

“We would like to continue constructive negotiations and dialogue with the union. We are committed to reaching a positive resolution.”