The brutal 30 day lockout of over 300 pulp and paper workers by Nippon Paper's Opal at Maryvale in the Latrobe Valley is over after workers voted last night to accept Opal's improved deal. The Maryvale members will return to work on Sunday at 6.00AM after being locked out by Opal for 30 days.
The sticking point in negotiations had been Opal's proposal to slash wages and conditions dramatically in a proposal that would have left workers worse off across the board. The Union and Opal hammered out a deal Friday morning that ensured wage increases for all workers and the retention of key terms and conditions.
'We are happy that our members will be returning to work with an agreement that sees real wage growth; the retention of their existing terms & conditions and no one left behind', saidPulp & Paper Workers Secretary Denise Campbell-Burns.
'Our question is why did it take a 30 day lockout of the entire workforce; the stand down of hundreds of contractors; and forcing Latrobe Valley families to spend the last 30 days living with real concerns about how to feed their families and pay their bills for Opal to bring a decent offer to the table?' she asked.
She added 'the disrespect that Opal senior management and Nippon Paper have shown their workforce has been staggering since the commencement of negotiations in October 2024, but the arrogance and disregard over the past 30 days has beggared belief.'
'Our members are focused on getting back to work and looking forward to the upcoming CFMEU demerger vote in a few weeks.'
