Children affected by closing

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 1

Children affected by closing

By

RICHARD CRESSWELL

Industrial reporter The Islington works closing will affect another 436 people — all children aged under 13, whose parents worked at the plant — a Meat Workers’ Union official told a meeting at the Paparua County Council last evening. The union’s Islington subbranch secretary, Mr Nayland Smith, was speaking at a meeting where about 50 people from community and service groups discussed a rescue package for the jobless workers. The Government-appointed coordinator, Mr Jock McKenzie, also spoke to the meeting, with the member of Parliament for Yaldhurst, Mrs Margaret Austin, and the county chairman, Mr Jack Pethig. The closing has cost 613 meat workers jobs and also those of about 300 salaried staff at Islington. Mr Pethig said that “took a lot

of swallowing,” and offered the services of the council to those planning the rescue package. Mr McKenzie, who wUI probably travel to Dunedin today to see the situation at Burnside, said he planned to get people together to establish the workers’ needs. “The workers will suddenly find themselves without regular income and will fear no other work prospects were available.” he said. Domestic problems and behavioural problems with children were “also a possibility,” he said. "Once we know what people’s specific problems are then they can be referred to the right agency for support,” Mr McKenzie said. Up to 1600 jobs will be lost as a result of the decision last week by Waitaki International to close the two ageing sites. Mr McKenzie said he might spend several weeks in the area to help with support.

Other groups at the meeting included the Christchurch Resource and Development Centre, and the Trade and Industry small business group. Mrs Austin said there were two parts to the rescue plan, targeting workers and the families involved. “There needs to be family support and then re-employment with training,” she said. Mr McKenzie is expected to make recommendations on support to the Government once the evaluation is finished. He arrived in Christchurch yesterday after finishing work co-ordinating support in the Gisborne district in the wake of Cyclone Bola. The group was yet to decide on a site for a resource centre for the Islington workers. Mrs Austin said a site in central Hornby would be ideal for the job, and also offered the support team her electorate mobile office caravan.'