3 Dec 2013

Sawmill workers relieved by partial payout

6:37 am on 3 December 2013

Laid-off Tachikawa sawmill workers in Rotorua are relieved they will get a partial payout within the next two weeks to help towards Christmas expenses.

A hundred and twenty kaimahi - most of them Maori - were laid off in October.

First Union, which represents 80 of them, organised a rally last week, sparked by a threat of legal action by a log supply firm wanting its investment back from Tachikawa's receiver, KordaMentha.

Turei Heurea, a former Tachikawa employee, says he's stoked by the news of a partial payout and is now looking forward to Christmas.

He says that payment will mean his family will be able to visit extend whanau.

Mr Heurea says anything is better than nothing.

He says people who had who've spent about three or four years with the company could expect up to $4000 before tax.