CARTER Holt Harvey timber mill union members will band together to vote down their new pay deal while the Alpine Shire Mayor has urged workers to consider the bigger picture.
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Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union assistant district secretary Andrew Vendramini said members would walk from the Myrtleford factory picket to vote on the pay deal at the Myrtleford RSL about 1pm on Thursday.
“We’re very confident we’re going to vote the agreement down,” he said.
“Fair Work Australia in Melbourne yesterday increased the minimum wage 3.3 per cent; here you’ve got a multinational company that only wants to give its workers a 2 per cent pay rise.”
Alpine Shire Mayor Ron Janas, who had spoken to union and company representatives, said the dispute must be resolved.
“I’m hoping they accept the offer and go back to work; the community is hurting,” he said.
“I’ve encouraged people to seek their own advice from a range of people to make a decision but they should think of their community and the broader picture.”
About 207 mill workers have been subject to a company lockout for seven weeks after enterprise agreement talks stalled and unions threatened industrial action.
Mr Vendramini burnt the new enterprise agreement when he addressed workers at the picket on Tuesday.
The ballot will be held on Thursday, 8am-6pm, and Friday, 8am-3pm. The previous enterprise agreement expired in March 2016.
