15 Dec 2010

Workers at damaged meat plant find other jobs

8:34 am on 15 December 2010

The Silver Fern Farms meat co-operative says about two-thirds of the workforce at its Te Aroha beef plant, badly damaged by fire earlier this month, have found alternative employment.

The company is still deciding the future of the plant , which employed about 350 staff and processed about 100,000 cattle a year.

In the meantime, 140 of the displaced workers have relocated to Silver Fern's Pacific beef plant in Hastings to work on the night shift there.

The company is paying them a $300 accommodation allowance in addition to their wages.

Another 10 people from the Te Aroha site have filled vacancies at the company's Hawera and Dargaville plants.

Silver Fern Farms chief excutive Keith Cooper says he understands that a further 80 workers have gone to nearby processing plants and about 20 have applied for Government support .

Mr Cooper says staff from the company's Resource Centre are following up people they have yet to hear from, to ensure they are being looked after.