Forest abuzz with rumour

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 23, 4 November 1986, Page 1

Forest abuzz with rumour

by

JEAN

NORMAN

All sorts of rumours and speculation are flying around the Karioi State Forest this week. There's talk of up to a third of the workers there losing their jobs, there's talk of strike action and of the whole community suffering because of it. The fact is that working conditions haven't , even been negotiated for workers going into the newly formed Forestry Corporation and Palmerston North P.S.A. Secretary Alan Miller has told the Bulletin that if negotiations do not start shortly the Association will go back to the workers to vote on possible action. "So far the Corporation has acted in a high-handed, arrogant and what some would call facist manner," said Mr Miller. "It is clear that the Corporation intend managing the forests in a different way and that it will have different effects in different areas. Karioi may escape as it is more remote." He said that the Association had not been advised of any specific proposal for the central district and that they were most concerned about negotiating some sort of agreement. A spokesman for the workers at Karioi said that

he knows there will be job losses and that severance pay and relocation are not going to solve anything. "There's specialised men out there and some of them have been doing the same job for 15 to 25 years. Now retraining would be pretty awkward wouldn't it," said the spokesman, who declined to be named. He also felt that local businesses would suffer from the loss of salaries being spent in the area and was concerned about housirig for those affected by any cut-back in staffing. Official word is that there

will be no formal announcement till this Friday (7 November). The Assisfant Conservator of Operations, Ian Glennie, said a paper will be released on that date which will detail any changes being made by the Corporation. Mr Glennie knew there were discussions going on at the moment about staffing in the new Corporation but could not comment. Friday should shed some light into the wilderness and maybe even resolve some fears. But there may be bitterness, despair and confusion to rival the recent railways re-organisation.