The acting general manager of Samoa Packing Alfonso Pete Galeai says a work stoppage at the American Samoa cannery was caused by a misunderstanding over the company's new incentive programme.
Workers had walked out en masse on thursday New Zealand time.
Mr Galeai says in October employees were notified that the cannery would be turning their wahoo distribution at Christmas into an incentive program.
Workers with perfect work attendance from mid October to the last day of production December 22, will be awarded 2 free cases of the fish..
He said this was an effort to reduce absenteeism which was at the time running around 20% and was impacting the cannery's ability to meet production levels.
Mr Galeai says on any day up to 400 people were not showing up to work.
He explained this at a meeting today and staff returned to the job.
