Think again, Greens tell Fletchers

The Green Party is urging Fletcher Building and its Laminex Group subsidiary to reconsider the proposed closure of its Penrose hard and soft board plant, which will result in the loss of 65 jobs.

"It is a tragedy to see yet another company announce a factory closure and more manufacturing jobs lost," the Greens’ Industrial Relations Spokesperson Sue Bradford says.

""The company gives the cost of meeting environmental standards as one reason for the closure. But Fletcher Building is very profitable and should already be meeting environmental standards. Is it saying that it is running away to somewhere with lower labour and environmental standards in order to make even more profit?

"This business is a prime example of value added manufacturing from our timber raw materials. Are we now likely to see more NZ logs shipped halfway round the world to be turned into hard and soft board products and then shipped back again? What will that do to the carbon footprint of these products?

"With Rod Deane on the board, I should not be surprised at this action of Fletchers. However Hugh Fletcher is also on the board and he as, in the past, stood up to the neo-liberal slash and burn method of profit taking. Its time he stood up again. Also ACC is a major shareholder in Fletcher Building and should make its voice heard.

“I am appalled to see that Fletchers have only given their workers and the union a few days to ‘consult’ on the issue. This is a farce and is not consultation at all. It makes a mockery of the Laminex Group value statement that says, 'We value our people. Our people are the key to our success. We strive to provide a safe, fair workplace…'

"It seems that the Fletcher solution to the challenge of providing a safe and fair workplace is to eliminate the workplace and the 65 jobs that go with it,” Ms Bradford says.

“The Green Party is doing what is can to support NZ manufacturing through leading the Government's Buy Kiwi Made programme.

“However the Government must heed the call of the NDU and EPMU unions for a greater and more systematic response to keep a viable and sustainable manufacturing industry in New Zealand. This is an ideal test case," Ms Bradford says.