Māori kiwifruit growers are welcoming more pickers being allowed into the country under the Registered Seasonal Employer scheme. The New Zealand government will be allowing an additional 3,000 RSE workers from nine Pacific nations to enter the country, bringing the total to 19,000.
According to Maori Kiwifruit Growers Association chair Anaru Timutimu, growers have come to rely on RSE workers and backpackers to deal with seasonal peaks, and they’ve taken steps to look after their welfare: “So many of our Maori kiwifruit-growing community have built accommodation for RSE workers and backpackers so there is an investment and a reliance on these workers.”
Many growers are trying to channel Maori employees into supervisory and management roles, and they’re looking for ways to create salaried positions to workers get year round employment.
Source: waateanews.com