Mill workers hit by one blow after another - union

Workers at the Carter Holt Harvey plywood mill in Tokoroa who face redundancy and income cuts say that they are tired of constant “restructuring”.

The company today announced that proposed laying off 55 people and changing rosters at the mill. The new rosters will mean that remaining staff each lose eight hours’ pay a week.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union assistant national secretary Rosalie Webster said that it was the third lot of restructuring the workers had been through in 18 months.

“A month ago, the delegates at this plant approached the company and asked to talk about issues like the downturn in the Australian building market and the rising cost of fuel and resin that could affect the plant, but they were ignored,” she said.

“Today, the company has announced that it proposes making changes that will drastically affect the lives of the workers and the Tokoroa community. The union has a lot to offer in terms of improving productivity, and the company should have talked to us.”

Around 200 people are employed at the plant, next to the Kinleith pulp and paper mill.

Ms Webster said that today’s announcement hadn’t really surprised the workers.

“They’re like people who have been hit by one blow after another – after a while they stop being surprised, she said.

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