Members of the Moerewa community in Northland are organising a march through the town on Friday to support families affected by a dispute between AFFCO and the Meat Workers Union.
The meat processing company has locked about 800 workers out of their jobs, following a breakdown in negotiations over a new collective employment contract. A further 500 workers are on strike. Mediation between AFFCO and the union is planned for Thursday.
AFFCO is the town's major employer and the six-week-long dispute has caused a division between the locked-out union workers and those still working.
Laurie Anderson, who helps run a Christian resource centre in Moerewa, says it is pitting people against each other and causing a lot of hurt.
He says the impact on families is noticeable at social functions and at sport grounds, with whanau separating themselves from each other.
Mr Anderson says he knows of fathers and sons on either side of the fence, which is causing a burden and affecting relationships.
Meanwhile, Moerewa Community Trust Chairman Ngahau Davis says if AFFCO and union bosses could see the faces of the community and the hurt being caused, they might be quicker to resolve the stand-off.
He says families of union members are relying on support and food parcels from throughout Northland.
Mr Davis says the trust is not taking sides in the dispute.
