Tokoroa plywood workers reeling as CHH announces closure plan

Workers at Carter Holt Harvey’s (CHH) Tokoroa plywood factory are reeling after the company announced plans to shut the site, putting over 100 local jobs on the chopping block.

The announcement comes after the Kinleith pulp and paper mill in Tokoroa announced the closure its paper-making operation earlier this year, with about 150 jobs lost.

E tū delegate Andrew Dobbs, who has worked at CHH in Tokoroa for 24 years, says members are devastated.

“It’s just really sad. 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.

You already know that the pulp and paper mill has cut jobs, they’ve either moved out or are looking for jobs. Now there’s going to be a whole lot more people looking for jobs locally, but there aren’t that many jobs at present, not for that many people.”

E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh says the people of Tokoroa deserve better.

“These announcements – first at Kinleith, now at CHH – are devastating for the workers, their whānau, and the whole 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.

“Workers in Tokoroa deserve a Just Transition, so that workers don’t bear the full brunt of economic changes. Our members don’t want sympathy, they want a future. Tokoroa deserves more than decline. They deserve investment, vision, and good jobs that allow families to put down roots and communities to thrive.”