Wave of relief washes over Tiwai workers as future secured
Relief has swept the Tiwai smelter workforce and management, quickly followed by a flood of messages of congratulations and support, as news of a 20-year power deal broke.
New Zealand Aluminium Smelters general manager Chris Blenkiron said the company was always rock-solid in its intention to tell the workforce first, and although it was a little difficult to get around 800 shift workers on Friday morning, there was a “pretty special’’ meeting with leaders on site and “needless to say, there were a number of smiles”.
“There’s a big sense of relief ... but also a huge amount of pride in what we’ve enable to announce, both for Southland Murihiku and for the entire country.’’
The inundation of congratulations and messages of support that followed “meant a lot to us’’.
No single factor clinched the power deal: “As I’m sure you can imagine, deals like this over 20 years are very complex.“
Blenkiron said the company’s commitment to remediation on its site remained steadfast. “What’s clear now is we will be continuing our remediation programme under an operating smelter, as opposed to the opposite,’’ he said.
E tū union delegate Curtis Omelvena said the power agreement was hugely positive for the workers and the wider community of Invercargill, "especially as the smelter is working hard to clean up in the area’’.
“The last few years have been very trying on our patience and mental health,’’ he said. “Morale will start improving from now. We finally have job security.’’
Had Tiwai closed, “I could imagine a lot of us younger workers leaving the area, leading to a big recession in Invercargill’’.
E tūnational secretary Rachel Mackintosh said the smelter remained vital for work and business opportunities, contributing about $400 million to the Southland economy. “It is a big relief that our members at Tiwai Point, and everyone whose work is connected to the smelter, now have some real certainty about the future.’’
The union looked forward to continuing progress on its collective agreement, given the company’s newly improved position.
“Tiwai workers should expect some real improvement on wages and conditions as a result of their collective activity,’’ Mackintosh said.
“There’s a big sense of relief ... but also a huge amount of pride in what we’ve enable to announce, both for Southland Murihiku and for the entire country.’’ Chris Blenkiron (above) NZ Aluminium Smelters general manager
“It is a big relief that our members at Tiwai Point, and everyone whose work is connected to the smelter, now have some real certainty about the future.’’ Rachel Macintosh (above) E Tu union national secretary