Silver Fern Farms says a strike at its central Hawke's Bay plant next week won't cause it to close.
Nineteen maintenance shift workers at the Takapau plant have voted to strike for three days from 3 January.
Their union, E tū, said the company had refused to give them a fair offer in negotiations.
Silver Fern Farms spokesman Justin Courtney said the organisation had negotiated in good faith, and the pay offer would be backdated.
He said it would continue to negotiate.
Mr Courtney said there were plans in place to continue to run the plant despite the strike action, at what was an important time of year for farmers.
