Jobs lost in Myrtleford
Carter Holt Harvey announced today that it will reduce sawn timber production in Myrtleford, costing 50 jobs.
This is devastating news for Myrtleford and, in my view, reflects poorly on the company, which has arguably been mismanaged and cares little about its regional production sites.
Carter Holt Harvey is a New Zealand firm. When I arrived as editor of the Alpine Tmes in 1997 I attempted to build networks there, recognising the mill’s importance to Myrtleford and the company’s status as Alpine Shire’s biggest employer.
I established goodwill with local staff and managers, but information was tightly controlled from Melbourne and New Zealand, meaning very little made its way into the paper, not even positive news about corporate and employee achievements.
During my time at the paper, Carter Holt Harvey closed its pulp mill, costing about 25 jobs, as I recall. There was little empathy from the company and everyone felt powerless in responding. The State Government and Alpine Shire made noises, but nothing good transpired.
I fear it will be the same again, which is why I blame the company entirely. The union has been campaigning for wage increases, but frankly the company has treated the workers very poorly.
I’m no friend of organised labor as a rule, but I’m prepared to recognise in cases such as this, that overseas-owned companies can be brutal and uncaring. That gives unions a purpose.
We have friends working at Carter Holt Harvey and their wage demands are not unreasonable.
The company, in its announcement, is implying some blame on the union and workers for this corporate decision, which is unfair. It makes one wonder if the decision was pre-meditated.
A side issue: I’m concerned that Alpine Shire Council has again failed to pre-empt bad news such as this. The council’s economic development policy has relied too much on tourism.
Its major agricultural adventure, green tea, fell over when the company involved, Ito En, shifted its processing base to Wangaratta.
It’s time for council to accept responsibilty for its failings in economic development and spend more effort on industries other than tourism.
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
