Redundancies voluntary

Press, 19 February 1983, Page 3

Redundancies voluntary

PA Rotorua Sixty workers would leave Murupara's biggest employing firm, Kaingaroa Logging Company, Ltd, after accepting voluntary redundancy, said a New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union spokesman yesterday. Another 100 workers throughout the work-force at Tasman's Kawerau mill had also accepted voluntary redundancy. The Murupara workers, some on salaries, have already begun leaving the firm. The “Daily Post,” Rotorua, reported yesterday that it thought some would receive more than $20,000 in redundancy money, and many others more than $30,000. Almost all of the 60 Murupara workers would have left by March 31, the last bv mid-

April, after training remaining staff in their jobs where necessary, said the president of the Murupara branch of the Timber Workers' Union, Mr R. de Vries. Late last year. Tasman invited the entire work-force of its Kawerau and Murupara enterprises to make application for voluntary redundancy and early retirement. • The workers agreeing to voluntary redundancy have been paid the maximum permitted under Government regulations, according to Mr D. B. Nicholson, of Auckland. Initially, the company had been looking for a reduction in staff numbers of about 200. However, the manager of the pulp and paper division, Mr B. S. Ashwin, described the 160-plus as a good response.