Over 100 jobs are at risk in Tokoroa as Carter Holt Harvey intends to close its local plywood manufacturing plant.
“It’s just really sad,” E tū delegate Andrew Dobbs said. He had spent 24 years working at CHH in Tokoroa.
“We knew things were tough, but I didn’t expect them to stop manufacturing altogether. You’d say people are feeling sad and depressed – it’s not quite a closure, but there will be so few people left there, making nothing, just reprocessing imports to send to market.”
“Basically, imported product is just too cheap for us to compete with; that’s the guts of it. Personally, I don’t want to move out of town, but that might be the only choice we’ve got.”
E tū national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said the closures were “devastating” for workers, their families, and the wider community.
“It doesn’t have to be this way. With proper investment and planning, the skills of these workers could be used to build secure, sustainable industries that provide decent jobs for decades to come. From renewable energy to advanced wood processing, there are opportunities to create a future for Tokoroa instead of stripping it away.”
Carter Holt Harvey has confirmed it will close its Eves Valley sawmill near Nelson next month, ending operations that started in the 1980s. This move will result in 142 workers losing their jobs.