A man with 43 years service is one of 60 employees to be axed from LWR International's Christchurch factory. Roy Williams, 58, said the mood was grim, not just for himself as "the longest server", but for his workmates with young families and mortgages.
Some were eyeing Australia for jobs, he said. He remembers the "glory days" when the Rudkin family owners of clothing-based LWR would reward employees on a Saturday with fish and chips and drinks, and when "it was a joy to come to work".
Things had tightened considerably under successive owners of the Sydenham factory, including Brierley Investments, American David Teece and now Ken Anderson.
But yesterday things got considerably tighter for Williams, who was told he will finish in the textile operations two days before Christmas. His wife died a couple of years ago, leaving him to care for a daughter, now 10. "We all got our letters just five minutes ago with a termination date on it," he said at the site. "It's just sad. It's the young ones I feel sorry for." He had already explored other work options, but said younger skilled workers were considering moving to Australia. Fourteen staff finished yesterday.
LWR chief executive Malcolm Walkinshaw said the business case for merino, polyester and other textile-making to be based in Otara, Auckland, rather than Sydenham was compelling. "We simply couldn't afford to operate duplicate textile plants in both locations. In the end, we chose Auckland because of that site's greater throughput and its space for future expansion," he said.
While the move was not prompted by the financial climate, the recent world downturn had left business leaders around New Zealand worried about the economic outlook, Walkinshaw said.
Unions fear the LWR cuts could be the beginning of a series of redundancies at small to large firms around New Zealand, with Christchurch having already seen jobs lost at G.L. Bowron, Skellerup, Dynamic Controls, Click Clack, Tip Top and Feltex.
Walkinshaw said Christchurch would retain a major manufacturing presence.
LWR have about 240 employees in Christchurch after the 60 lay-offs that will be staggered through to the first quarter of next year.
National Distribution Union organiser Kaelene Churton said there were a few others with nearly the same length of LWR service as Williams, and many other reliable workers of 20 or 30 years. "The impact that it has on people's lives for them it's going to be life-changing."
