Workers of Yaqara Pastoral Company have staged a strike today, calling for improved wages and better treatment, as frustrations over living costs and delayed pay adjustments came to a head.
Employees gathered holding handwritten placards highlighting their concerns, with messages calling for dignity, fair compensation and an urgent review of wage rates.
Some signs pointed to the difficulty of meeting basic family needs on current pay levels, while others questioned why workers had yet to see improvements despite the company’s financial performance.
One placard read, “Workers deserve COLA,” while another stated, “We can’t feed our families on 2023 wages. Don’t make us wait, update the rate.”
Workers said they were demanding a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and accused management of failing to address long-standing concerns about wages and working conditions.
Yaqara Pastoral Company is located in Rakiraki.
The striking workers are members of the National Union of Workers.
