CHH dispute likely to continue

A bitter industrial dispute between Ruakaka timber workers and Carter Holt Harvey looks set to continue, with a meeting today doomed to fail.

Workers want to negotiate their collective contract at the planned meeting at the Futurebuild LVL plant, but management says it will only negotiate after the workers are back on the job.

The workers are asking for a 5 per cent pay increase as well as meal and shift allowances, while the company has offered 3 per cent.

Carter Holt Harvey spokesman Paul MacKay said company representatives would attend the meeting but would not discuss the collective contract.

"Our big focus is to get people back to work and so the discussions, in the event they take place, will focus on getting people back to work."

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union organiser Mike Sweeney said discussions had to be on equal terms.

The strike was becoming one of the most protracted industrial disputes of recent times, he said.

The workers walked off the job 18 days ago but the dispute had been running for more than two months.

Last week they went to Auckland to picket outside the company's main office.

Union delegate Ross Candy said the workers were determined and the company was underestimating their resolve.

The workers had also received widespread support from other unions and people in the community.

Workers at Portland Cement presented the striking workers with a $5000 cheque yesterday, and the union had a kitchen full of donated supplies and food bought at cut-rate prices.

Mr MacKay said the union's demands were unsustainable.

"The high New Zealand dollar is bad for export businesses and the downturn in the housing market doesn't help the situation.

"What the union is wanting is far more than 5 per cent, they're talking 5 per cent and a whole lot of other things," Mr MacKay said.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)