Canterbury Spinners to trim workforce at Dannevirke plant

Canterbury Spinners Limited (CSL) told staff at its Dannevirke plant this morning that they are proposing 50 or more redundancies.

The company’s proposal is now out for consultation.  If it goes ahead the job losses would take place by the end of September, and the company is proposing remaining staff move onto a shift pattern with reduced hours.

The move represents further rationalisation in the textiles sector and was deeply distressing for CSL’s skilled workforce, FIRST Union Textiles Secretary Paul Watson said.

“A priority for FIRST Union will be minimising the impact on staff, and outstanding issues for further discussion include voluntary redundancies, relocation opportunities and ensuring workers’ income is protected as new shifts are introduced.”

“As we have done at several textile plants in recent years, we will also look for support to establish a redundancy support coordinator to work alongside staff made redundant to help with training and finding other jobs.”

FIRST Union General Secretary Robert Reid said that in parts of the manufacturing industry, especially outside the primary sector, significant challenges remained.

“Many manufacturing workers are still facing very uncertain times.”

“While the government shows little interest in supporting manufacturers, it is heartening to know Opposition parties are making a good attempt to come up with policy solutions for manufacturing, as we saw in the recent Manufacturing Inquiry,” Robert Reid said.

Today’s announcement follows last year’s closure of Norman Ellison Carpet’s spinning plant in Onehunga with around 85 job losses, and 190 redundancies at Summit Wool Spinners in Oamaru earlier this year.  CSL purchased the Oamaru site and reemployed 60 workers.

First Union