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12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 05/2003
T he New Zealand's Engineering, Printing & Manufacturing Union Inc. (EPMU) is fighting for a new collective agreement at Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) - as the last one expired nearly two years ago.
At the global level, the Engineering, Printing & Manufacturing Union Inc. is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM)
On 8 March 2003 an indefinite strike by Production workers began. They have had no wage increase since two years, even though down-sizing means workers are expected to do more.
CHH wants to:
§ Reduce safety standards on site by replacing the on-site professional fire brigade and requiring production workers to train for fire-fighting and emergency rescue duties.
§ Reduce workers' incomes. The salary offer means a loss of $10,000 pa for most, with longer hours. The choice? Keep existing pay structure, but lose conditions such as safety and the certainty of an agreed training and promotion process.
Carter Holt Harvey is New Zealand's second-largest company, employing 8000 workers in this country. It is controlled by the giant American company International Paper.
On 25 March 2003 CHH tried to make Kinleith product at its Whakatane Mill. CHH's lawyer argued that this was not a breach of s97 of the Employment Relations Act (substituting for striking workers) because the work was not being done on the same premises. CHH contended workers would be refusing a lawful instruction if they did not do the work. CHH later abandoned the attempt to do Kinleith work at Whakatane, but the incident again signals the extent to which CHH will go to test out the boundaries of the law and gain an advantage in the bargaining.
Local MP urges resolution to Kinleith dispute
"We are in a new era, and the clear intent of legislative change was to promote a more co-operative industrial environment," Mark Burton said.
"I urge Carter Holt Harvey to move on from the outmoded attitudes of the 1990s and get around the table with union representatives to negotiate a fair settlement.
"This is an issue of import to our local community and to all of New Zealand. The situation requires nothing less than genuine good faith negotiations."
At the global level, the Engineering, Printing & Manufacturing Union Inc. is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM)
On 8 March 2003 an indefinite strike by Production workers began. They have had no wage increase since two years, even though down-sizing means workers are expected to do more.
CHH wants to:
§ Reduce safety standards on site by replacing the on-site professional fire brigade and requiring production workers to train for fire-fighting and emergency rescue duties.
§ Reduce workers' incomes. The salary offer means a loss of $10,000 pa for most, with longer hours. The choice? Keep existing pay structure, but lose conditions such as safety and the certainty of an agreed training and promotion process.
Carter Holt Harvey is New Zealand's second-largest company, employing 8000 workers in this country. It is controlled by the giant American company International Paper.
On 25 March 2003 CHH tried to make Kinleith product at its Whakatane Mill. CHH's lawyer argued that this was not a breach of s97 of the Employment Relations Act (substituting for striking workers) because the work was not being done on the same premises. CHH contended workers would be refusing a lawful instruction if they did not do the work. CHH later abandoned the attempt to do Kinleith work at Whakatane, but the incident again signals the extent to which CHH will go to test out the boundaries of the law and gain an advantage in the bargaining.
Local MP urges resolution to Kinleith dispute
"We are in a new era, and the clear intent of legislative change was to promote a more co-operative industrial environment," Mark Burton said.
"I urge Carter Holt Harvey to move on from the outmoded attitudes of the 1990s and get around the table with union representatives to negotiate a fair settlement.
"This is an issue of import to our local community and to all of New Zealand. The situation requires nothing less than genuine good faith negotiations."