Alliance casts net for staff

• Published date: 24 November 2022
• Publication title: Southland Express

Some of the imported staff may live on site due to the Southland accommodation squeeze

Alliance manufacturing general manager Willie Wiese confirmed last week the company was recruiting up to 400 seasonal staff from across the country as well as from overseas for its Lorneville and Mataura plants.

They would help make up the shortfall in numbers Alliance could not recruit locally in Southland, he said.

‘‘New Zealand’s meat processing and exporting sector has a chronic labour shortage.

‘‘Unemployment is also low, especially in our regional communities where our plants are located,’’ he said.

‘‘Without sufficient labour, we cannot run our plants at the desired capacity, nor provide our customers with the required cut.’’

While this was good news for the region’s economy, it could raise some concerns around where the 400 workers will be housed.

Like much of the country, accommodation is in short supply in Southland.

When questioned where Alliance would accommodate all the seasonal workers, Mr Wiese acknowledged housing was also a challenge.

‘‘We recognise there is a shortage of housing in Southland.

‘‘However...