Kakariki workers keep an eye on Feltex talks

MARTON workers made redundant last week by the closure of the Feltex wool scour at Kakariki stand to benefit from the negotiations between the National Distribution Union and Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union and Feltex's new owner, Godfrey Hirst.
While talks are mainly focused on the transfer of Feltex workers to Godfrey Hirst and the terms and conditions they will work under the discussions are expected to broaden into the issue of redundancy payments.
Workers at Feltex's Riccarton plant returned to work yesterday after staging a sit-in at the plant to protest at the collective loss of millions of dollars of redundancy payments.
The average entitlement for Feltex workers is 35 weeks' pay with some workers entitled to the full redundancy payments of 56 weeks pay had their current redundancy agreement been honoured.
But under the law relating to receivership, redundancy payments are limited to only $15,000 ? including wages owed and holiday pay.
The net result would be around $10,000 in the hand, even for the longest-serving employees.
Riccarton-based Feltex worker and NDU Delegate Tony Sparks said the protest at that plant was a sign of the "great sense of solidarity that Feltex workers have".
"Workers anticipate that their action needs to translate into Godfrey Hirst taking on board their message in a positive and constructive manner and by doing the decent thing," he said.
Feltex Kakariki union spokesman Joe Murray was not available yesterday to comment on the action of his Riccarton colleagues or the prospects of more appropriate redundancy payments for his former Kakariki workmates.
It is understood that issue will be discussed at a meeting in Marton involving redundant Kakariki plant workers and representatives of the receivers, McGrathNicol and Partners.