Worker clocks up 50 years at plant

ROBYN EDIE

HARD WORKER: Lance Molloy stands proud after celebrating 50 years of service to the Alliance Group's Lorneville plant.

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Lance Molloy is described as "hard-working" – and after clocking up his 50th year at the Alliance Group's Lorneville plant yesterday he truly knows the meaning of it.

The 70-year-old has worked more than 80,000 hours after starting at the plant when it opened in 1960.

At 20, the youngster had just finished his panelbeating apprenticeship when the generous pay of 12 a week, about $20 at today's rate and almost three times his regular pay at the time, lured him to the meatworks.

Just three months later the killing season finished and Mr Molloy was almost out of work when he was approached to help out in the general service department.

Fifty years on and the tractor driver still works at the same plant.

However, "some" things had changed, with both his son and grandson taking up work at the the same plant – "it's a family thing", he said.

Expressing the true meaning of committed to the job, Mr Molloy has taken only 28 days' sick leave in his years of service, most of which were to grieve for his wife, but a part from that "you just work through the pain", he said.

Mr Molloy worked 14-hour days for 20 years but has slowed down to 45-hour weeks for the remaining 30 years as technology has advanced in what he described as a "fun" job.

With a realistic view of life he was unsure how much longer he would stay at the plant but said sitting at home was too boring and there was always a good yarn to be had at the plant.

His advice for a long working life: "Don't get excited when things aren't going your way. If you smoke and drink, you will live for years. Take every day as it comes."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Jayden Anderson   #1   08:13 pm Mar 18 2010

However, "some" things had changed, with both his son and grandson taking up work at the the same plant – "it's a family thing", he said.

You put the down twice in the same place^

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