Workers at the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter have gone on strike over frustrations with the slow pace of collective employment agreement negotiations. The industrial action comes after more than two years of unsuccessful bargaining between the workforce and management, with employees expressing they are tired of the prolonged dispute.

The strike at New Zealand's largest electricity consumer and significant industrial employer highlights ongoing tensions in the country's manufacturing sector. Tiwai Point's operations are crucial to the Southland economy and the national electricity grid, making any disruption to production potentially significant for both regional employment and energy markets.