News

Unite members at Iggesund's paper mill in Workington have voted in

favour of strike action, with an overwhelming majority of 266 to 30.



The ballot, which began in November, is in response to 99 proposed

redundancies at the mill, as well as its imposed selection criteria for

redundancies and what members claim are inferior severance payments.



Peter Ellis, Unite national officer, said: "This result demonstrates

the depth of resentment and frustration felt by our members at the way

the company and local management have handled the proposed closure of a

board machine identifying a loss of 99 jobs."



He said the union was looking forward to "realistic and constructive

discussions" at a mill conference.



"The company has now agreed to the conference having said they didn't

see the point in meeting with us within the national agreement

procedure," he added.



The union claimed that company bosses have refused to follow dispute

procedures and that negotiations over the planned redundancies have

failed.



In October last year, it was announced that 99 employees at the

484-staff Iggesund mill were to be made redundant as part of plans to

close one of the company's two machines.



Iggesund Paperboard is a member of the Holmen Group and manufactures

high-quality virgin fibre paperboard for the packaging and graphics

sectors.