UPDATE NEWS BULLETIN #1
TO FIRST UNION SUMMIT WOOLSPINNERS MEMBERS
Dear Member
By the time you receive this newsletter the last Shift will have finished under
Summit Management. Life will be quite different for you from now with many of
you facing an uncertain future. Be assured however that your Union is
determined to do all it can to continue to support you through this difficult time.
We intend to give you regular newsletter updates to keep the communication
lines open and this newsletter is the first of those.
Your Union reps being myself, Shirley Walthew (new area Organiser based in
Dunedin) and Sharon Solomon met Bruce Blair (CSL Operations Manager) and
Paul McCarthy (Employment Relations advisor to CSL) last Thursday. In answer to
our questions this is what the company said;
FIRST: When will the new operation begin under CSL Management?
CSL: “We don’t know at this point. There are a number of things still to work through but we
think it will be around the middle of March.“
FIRST: How many people do you expect to employ?
CSL: “We are still not certain on exact numbers but we expect it to be somewhere between 30 50 employees.”
FIRST: What employment conditions will be offered ?

CSL: “We intend to offer initially an Individual Employment Agreement based on similar
terms and conditions of collective agreements the company has negotiated with FIRST
Union in the North Island and comparable to what workers have at present.” .
Following this we expect to negotiate a collective agreement at some point.”
FIRST: Will people employed be offered permanent full time employment ?
CSL: “Yes ”
FIRST: When and how will you advertise non management positions?
CSL: “We have interviewed the senior staff and made appointments and have also interviewed
maintenance service personnel and will be making appointments on Wednesday 27th. I (Bruce) have
arranged for a number of manufacturing staff to meet me with Paul McCarthy around Thurs/Fri this
week and we are hoping to start to make appointments either Friday this week or early next week.
FIRST: How will you select people for available positions?
CSL: “We will select based on the best set of skill mix for the work required.
FIRST: Our Union will fund a Resource Centre for all redundant workers in Oamaru and would
like to start up an “Expression of Interest Register” so workers wanting to work for CSL can
register their interest early. What do you think about this idea?
CSL: “ We see no problem with this idea. It will compliment what we might do “
FIRST: What communication is there going to be from CSL to the Media about its future
operation in Oamaru?
CSL: “Communications not finalised yet but we do see this as something to be handled by the
communications firm employed by CSL.”
Meeting with Mayor Alex Familton
A FIRST Union delegation also met up with your local Mayor last Thursday and he was very
supportive of the Unions proposal to set up a Redundancy Support Coordination Programme
in Oamaru for you and other redundant Summit Wool Spinners workers.
The Council is in the process of finding premises where this might operate from and the Unions
National Executive has approved funding to start a support centre up and manage it for a
period. Both the Mayor and the Union are in the meantime continuing discussions with
government about supporting further funding for a redundancy support coordinator.
Redundancy Pay out Issues
Both FIRST Union (Ken) and the EPMU (John) are working together to try and resolve
appropriate redundancy pay outs for those members who were reemployed by Summit Wool
Spinners but subsequently made redundant.
Stand by for further updated newsletters. In the meantime if you have any queries call our
Member Support Centre: 0800 863 477 or Sharon Solomon on 0226 019247.
Paul Watson
Textile Sector Secretary