Samoa union hopes workers will be protected after mass layoff

Transcript

JEROME MIKA: We have been working with Yazaki and also Craig O'Donohue there, the director, to just try and find ways to ensure that the workers are looked after and we're just working with the company to ensure that things are as smooth as possible even though the whole news is quite disastrous for the economy.

INDIRA STEWART: Craig O'Donohue, as you mentioned, has promised that the workers will receive a final pay package that will far exceed anything seen in Samoa before. What are your comments on that?

JM: Yeah and we, Samoa First Union, have been working with him to ensure that that's...it's something that they have sort of worked with. We've worked with them in terms of a Memorandum of Understanding and it's also just their commitment to workers in general. And then we've also been working, not only with Samoa First Union but also the National Union of Workers, just to ensure that there is that protection and security. So I am really encouraged and also quite grateful in terms of working through with Craig O'Donahue. And I think we've had a few discussions just in terms of making sure that there is that security and certainty for people if there was something like this to come up.

IS: He did mention that, for those workers who chose to resign before the actual shut down of Yazaki, they won't be eligible for that final pay package. Do you think that's a condition that should be maybe looked at or negotiated? I mean, for example, that puts workers in a position where they must stay on until the shut down to receive that final pay package. But lets say, for example, an employee finds a job to replace the one he is about to lose at Yazaki but he has to start the new job before the company shuts down. He's automatically not eligible for the final pay package but he might have worked for Yazaki for 15 or 20 years...

JM: Yeah, I mean I take it Yazaki has sort of...well, they've given us an announcement to almost give the workers some dignity but also some leading time. I guess the flipside to that argument that you're saying is if someone finds a job, will it be in lieu of payment or will we work through what that transition looks like. I couldn't give you a position because we need to have the discussions with Craig. The meetings I have had with Craig, he is very genuine in terms of looking after his workers and I think as a union, we want to try to work together to look at these cases where other people want to go early or not. But I also understand from their perspective in terms of their business requirements and as a union we will try and deal with what's in the best interest of our workers, that if it is in lieu of payment, we'll raise those discussions with them.