ALPINE Council has reached out to the federal government and the Opposition to intervene in the Carter Holt Harvey mill lockout at Myrtleford.
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Mayor Ron Janas said the council on Tuesday submitted letters to Employment Minister Michaelia Cash and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten asking for help to bring an end to the nine-week industrial dispute stalemate that has rocked the town.
“We’ve been told by the community that’s what they want from us and that’s what we’ve done,” Cr Janas said.
Alpine Council has offered Carter Holt Harvey, unions and non-union workers a neutral territory to explore a solution to the industrial relations impasse.
Cr Janas said they were yet to hear from any of the parties in response to the council’s offer.
He said they would arrange an information session at Myrtleford with Centrelink and Gateway Health to outline financial and emotional assistance options for mill workers.
“We’ve had preliminary discussions to set up a date,” he said.
FoodWorks Myrtleford owner Andrew Reid said the community had embraced the store’s food drive for mill workers during the past six weeks.
He said food items valued at $2017 and food vouchers valued at $4830 had been donated in the store.
FoodWorks Myrtleford is matching donated food items with their value in food vouchers.
“Last week we had twice as many donations as the week before,” he said.
“People have been very supportive; doing something like this is a good gauge of where the public is at.
“Local businesses have donated cash for vouchers and someone drove down from the Kiewa Valley to donate $250 in vouchers.
“Everyone knows someone who is affected and so many businesses are affected now too.”
Carter Holt Harvey’s Myrtleford workers have been locked out of the factory since April 19 after unions threatened industrial action over a pay deal impasse.
Workers wanted a 3 per cent pay rise annually over three years, one week's annual leave over Christmas and better access to income protection insurance.
They narrowly voted down the company's latest enterprise agreement in a secret ballot on June 8 and 9.
Carter Holt Harvey representatives have declined to comment to The Border Mail.
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