Nelson to lose 137 factory jobs

Press, 26 June 1987, Page 1

Nelson to lose 137 factory jobs

By

TONY SMITH

in Nelson

Almost 140 jobs will be lost when Griffin and Sons, Ltd, closes its Nelson confectionery factory next year. The 137 staff members were told yesterday that the company had decided to shift its Nelson business tp its Auckland factory. The. cost of its old Nile Street factory, which does hot meet regulatory requirements, coupled with rising freight costs had forced the decision to close, said the company’s managing director, Mr Darrell Huffman.

Workers will be laid off progressively from February , to December next year. The announcement ended several months of speculation about the company’s future in Nelson. A decision had been made to close the bld factory; because of its deteriorating condition, but after approaches by the Mayor of Nelson; Mr Peter Malone, and union and community representatives, consideration was given to the feasibility of establishing a new factory in Nelson. . However, Mr Huffman said yesterday the decision was a business one, made in the best interests pf the total of the company’s employees. He said shifting to Auckland was “the only financially viable option.” -

Mr Huffman said it was regrettable that loyal Nelson staff would, lose their jobs and the decision had been , hard to make because the company had its origins in Nelson more than 90 years ago.

A job-search programme would be instigated by the company to find alternative employment in Nelson for all redundant employees. Requests from skilled staff who wished to relocate to other company, plants would also be considered. . ' •

Confectionery manufactured in Nelson will be produced at the Auckland factory where extra facilities and staff would. be provided to handle the increased workload.

The corporate, personnel manager, Mr Ross Anderson, has had preliminary discussions about redundancy payments with the Nelson Biscuit and Confectionery Workers’ Union."---' - - ’ -

The member of Parliament for Nelson, Mr Philip Woollaston, said he felt for the Griffins workers,, many of whom were second-income earners whose families depended on that income, r l <■

The Nelson secretary of the Biscuit and Confectionery Workers’ Union, Ms Jan Noonan, said the workers had put a strong case for the factory to stay in Nelson.