About 230 workers await news about whether they still have jobs at Winstone Pulp.
Photo: Alexa Cook/RNZ
It is an anxious time for 230 North Island mill workers who are waiting for a meeting where they will learn if their company is closing down or not.
Winstone Pulp International has proposed closing two of its mills near Ohakune because of high wholesale power prices.
For the past few weeks Winstone has been meeting with energy company Mercury and ministers to try and find a way to stay open.
A petition was launched last week to save the mill – as there are fears the nearby communities will turn into ghost towns because Winstone is the main employer in the area.
The final decision was expected on Monday, but it was extended until Tuesday afternoon, and the company planned to meet with workers at 3pm to tell them the outcome.
The crowd at a meeting discussing the future of Winstone Pulp International at Raetihi’s community hall on 27 August.
Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook
Petition organiser Liz Brooker said it had been a tough time for workers and their families.
“With literally everyone knowing someone who works at the mill, our whole community is understandably on edge.
“Kaimahi have already started planning to leave the region and then, out of the blue on Sunday night, Monday’s planned announcement to staff was suddenly moved to Tuesday afternoon. This has provided us with a small glimmer of hope,” Brooker said.
The room was packed for the Raetihi community meeting on 27 August.
Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook
Resources minister Shane Jones has threatened to end the electricity authority if it did not work harder to regulate power prices, but the government is yet to intervene on the issue.
However, Brooker said people were wondering if that would change the upcoming news.
“We know others like Pan Pac in Hawke’s Bay have been with WPI in high level discussions with the government, so just maybe a solution has been found?” she said.