Seeka

[turnip]

"Chief executive of produce distributor Seeka Michael Franks said 85 of its 1400 had tested positive for Covid-19 and another 150 were isolating." Stuff 03/03/22

"The kiwifruit harvest in New Zealand is a little later than expected with continuing wet and warm weather slowing brix development and maturity. The main harvest is expected to get underway in about another week." Seeka CEO on Fresh Plaza

[Southern Lad]

From Zespri's Chairmans update released yesterday:

"COVID-19 continues to prove challenging, particularly as it exacerbates the existing industry labour shortage across our supply chain.

While the industry has made operational changes to help smooth the flow of fruit and is trying to make best use of our capacity, the shortage of backpackers and the impact of COVID-19 means that many post-harvest facilities are finding it difficult to recruit the workforce needed for their shifts.

This year’s harvest is likely to be the most challenging in the COVID period. We encourage all growers to support your industry and contact NZKGI or your packhouse if you, friends or family have availability to work. Once your fruit has cleared, please work quickly with your packhouse to schedule its picking and packing."

[iceman]

From Michael Franks on the weekend just gone:

" Remarkably we have maintained operations at all packhouses now continuously for over a week and we have packed our first 3m trays in the current season. It has been about as challenging a start as I can remember.
Omicron has decimated crews and key staff have been hit hard. It’s been a particularly difficult period having to run continuously chasing the Zespri system of midnight caps to optimise the returns for our growers. Many people across the business from sampling to picking to post-harvest have worked long hard hours. They have made considerable sacrifices including those with young families at home. We will schedule in down days for the business this week to give people a break.
The reality is that most sites are running dayshift only and when we push the site to the midnight cut-off – we lose the first 5 hours the next day as crews recover. It’s a fact seemingly lost on the industry.
Arrivals of RSE workers have been wonderful but irregular. Honestly they have been a godsend. The coordination of the sourcing and of RSE workers has been assumed by the central Government and we have lost some of the ability to innovate and really are in a position of taking what we can get, when they arrive. It’s not an easy time to be in a business employing people in a time critical industry and in doing so keeping the economy running."

[Ricky-bobby]

From Michael Franks on the weekend just gone:

" Remarkably we have maintained operations at all packhouses now continuously for over a week and we have packed our first 3m trays in the current season. It has been about as challenging a start as I can remember.
Omicron has decimated crews and key staff have been hit hard. It’s been a particularly difficult period having to run continuously chasing the Zespri system of midnight caps to optimise the returns for our growers. Many people across the business from sampling to picking to post-harvest have worked long hard hours. They have made considerable sacrifices including those with young families at home. We will schedule in down days for the business this week to give people a break.
The reality is that most sites are running dayshift only and when we push the site to the midnight cut-off – we lose the first 5 hours the next day as crews recover. It’s a fact seemingly lost on the industry.
Arrivals of RSE workers have been wonderful but irregular. Honestly they have been a godsend. The coordination of the sourcing and of RSE workers has been assumed by the central Government and we have lost some of the ability to innovate and really are in a position of taking what we can get, when they arrive. It’s not an easy time to be in a business employing people in a time critical industry and in doing so keeping the economy running."

Really feel for them and their teams. It’s a tough time if ur in primary industry harvest at the moment… apples are same. Can’t see the labour piece getting any better in the next 12 months. RSE’s are the backbone for these guys and the government is radio silence as usual

[iceman]

Really feel for them and their teams. It’s a tough time if ur in primary industry harvest at the moment… apples are same. Can’t see the labour piece getting any better in the next 12 months. RSE’s are the backbone for these guys and the government is radio silence as usual

Yes the last paragraph in Michael’s quote above shows the frustration with this control freak and incapable Government. I wish they’d just get out of the way and let people run their businesses without this endless interference and restrictions. It’s killing our economy on all fronts

[bull....]

Despite Seeka currently advertising $24 per hour in Tauranga, Rosentreter said they had put $22.75 per hour on the table in its negotiations in Northland.
She claims when First Union representatives initially asked Seeka chief executive Michael Franks if the current rate of $24 an hour would be continued beyond the pandemic, he described it as an added incentive due to Covid.
“The company has admitted to us that $1.25 of that is a ‘seasonal allowance’ because of the border closure, and it'll be shaved off after this harvest,” said Rosentreter.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plent...ng-60-per-hour

[iceman]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plent...ng-60-per-hour

[Sideshow Bob]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plent...ng-60-per-hour

Indeed, a machine!!

[Getty]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plent...ng-60-per-hour

It seems MS Townsend is a contractor, , not an employee @ $60 per hour, and if so, is not covered by govt. employment law re public holidays, so I will be surprised if she gets time and a half @ $90 during Easter statutory holidays.

[iceman]

It seems MS Townsend is a contractor, , not an employee @ $60 per hour, and if so, is not covered by govt. employment law re public holidays, so I will be surprised if she gets time and a half @ $90 during Easter statutory holidays.

I have no idea. But this woman seems to be a hard worker making hay while the sun shines, so I assume she knows.
There are serious labour shortages in the industry, exacerbated by the ridiculous restrictions on bringing in seasonal workers from the Pacific Islands coupled with the mad isolation rules still in force in NZ. Just nuts.

There are frequent media articles, driven by the Unions, about shortages being due to low wages. That is simply not true and to the contrary, there are lots of opportunities for low skilled workers to work hard and earn decent money.
Many like the idea of the latter, not so much the former.

Here is a post from a friend of mine from yesterday, who’s a shift foreman in a kiwifruit packhouse in the BOP:

“Boss told us last night kiwifruit industry will employ 15yr olds in the packhouse now. If you got a young one wants to earn $1k-1.5k a week then come on down. There's all sorts of jobs for everyone any age any size. I got a couple 65+ Yr olds on my shift”