By KATRINA BRANDON
BRINGING in more support and more action, the Maryvale Mill workers and union groups have made a move against Opal’s actions.
On February 6, about 150 Maryvale Mill production workers marched the streets of Opal’s Richmond location.
Before taking to the metropolitan area, the Mill workers also received support from Latrobe City Council, Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, and Senator Raff Ciccone towards the action taken by Opal.
Workers and contractors under the CFMEU have been locked out of the Mill by Opal since January 16, after seven workers undertook a protected stop-work action to preserve their work conditions and pay. With an hour’s notice until they were exiled from the Mill, 308 production workers are now engaged in an Enterprise Agreement discussion with Opal Australian Paper – owned by the large multinational Nippon – with the help of the CFMEU since the latest agreement expired in December 2024.
Throughout the lockout, the workers have been keeping a presence at the Mill during work hours (8am to 3pm), to let Opal know they still want to work.
On January 30, Opal’s “protected” industrial action was described as abuse of power from the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Sally McManus.
Latrobe City Mayor, Dale Harriman relayed that not only is the action unfair to the workers, but Latrobe is already seeing some of the impacts of the closure, urging for state government support.
“The Victorian government has an important role to play in facilitating dialogue between both parties, supporting efforts to bring both management and the union back to the negotiating table with the aim of resolving this dispute quickly and fairly,” the mayor told the Express.
“This will help achieve a solution that safeguards both workers’ rights and the long-term viability of the Maryvale Mill, ensuring a sustainable future for the region and its workforce.
“The current industrial action not only affects those directly involved but also places undue strain on the Latrobe City community. Many families rely on the Mill’s operation for their livelihood, and any prolonged disruption threatens the region’s economic stability.”
As Victorian’s most heavily impacted and transitioning region, council says it stands with the community to support the economic diversification of the region’s industry landscape and economy.
“We call upon the Victorian government to continue to work collaboratively with the timber industry and affected communities, following the cessation of native timber harvesting, to find viable and sustainable solutions that prioritise both environmental conservation and the welfare of timber industry workers, including those employed at the Maryvale Mill,” Mayor Harriman said.
“We understand that this is a pivotal moment for the Mill’s future as it navigates challenges such as rising costs and evolving market demands. A fair and equitable resolution to this industrial dispute is critical to ensuring that the Maryvale Mill remains a key player in Australia’s paper industry and, importantly, a strong employer in Latrobe City.
“Securing the ongoing operations of the Mill is essential, not only for the livelihoods of those directly impacted, but also for the long-term prosperity and economic stability of the Gippsland region. A timely resolution will not only protect local jobs, but will also ensure that the Maryvale Mill can continue to serve as a vital economic engine for Latrobe City.”
On Wednesday, February 5, Senator Raff Ciccone responded to the issue by showing his support.
“I rise in support of the 308 pulp and paper manufacturing workers who’ve been brutally stood down without pay at the Maryvale Mill in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley,” he said.
“This adversarial move by Opal comes after years of cooperation from union members to financially secure the Mill during difficult periods. This included employees agreeing to reclassifications and wage resets, as well as a five per cent pay cut in 2016.
“In return for their cooperation, Opal has shamefully offered its workers a choice between real cuts to wages and workplace conditions, or indefinite lockout from work and income. I can tell you that a lot of them are relying on that income to support their families.
“These 308 workers deserve better than this unjustifiable lockout. I call on Opal to return its employees to work, and to engage with them in good faith for the sake of their families and the local community.
“I stand in solidarity with the Pulp and Paper Division, Maryvale Mill workers and every Australian fighting for secure work, for secure jobs and for better pay.”
He mentioned that the Mill has been an integral part of the community since 1937, and the supply chain has empowered the community and the local economy for so long, and that their support throughout times such as the pandemic have not gone unnoticed.
Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron and state Leader of The Nationals, Danny O’Brien, met with Mill workers in state Parliament on February 6.
“Over the last few weeks I have met with local union representatives who have reaffirmed employees are ready, willing, and able to reach an agreement and return work at the Mill,” Mr Cameron said.
“Workers are under immense strain and are understandably concerned about how they will provide for their families with no end in sight to this dispute.
“I have written to Opal and reiterated the importance of brokering a deal that’s fair for both workers and the company, because the reality is that our region cannot afford to lose another major employer.
“Labor’s decision to shut the native timber industry has had an enormous impact on the Maryvale Mill’s operations and placed Opal under financial pressure.”
During question time, Mr O’Brien demanded answers from Jacinta Allan about what Labor is doing to ensure mill workers don’t lose their jobs.
“Labor’s disastrous forestry policy has cut supply to the Maryvale Mill, and Opal has directly credited the shut-down of the native timber industry as threatening the viability of its operations,” he said.
“The former Premier promised Mill workers their jobs were secure up until 2050, but the rug was pulled out from underneath them when Labor reneged and shut the industry prematurely.
“This caused the loss of 200 jobs at the Maryvale Mill because white paper production stopped, and now another 300 workers have been locked out during a cost-of-living crisis.”
Opal sent out a statement after the rally.
“Opal is continuing to negotiate in good faith with our Maryvale Mill’s Production team members and the CFMEU, to reach a fair Enterprise Agreement that is relevant to the Mill’s current operations,” the statement read.
“Protected industrial action that the CFMEU notified us they would undertake, impacted our ability to produce paper at our Maryvale Mill. As a result, we had to make the decision, in accordance with the Fair Work Act, to stop our operations at the Mill and implement a legal lockout of our production team members covered by the CFMEU Agreement.
“Opal’s goal is to have our valued production team members back to work as soon as possible.
“As part of Opal’s EBA negotiations, we have reassured the CFMEU bargaining representatives that all production team members will receive increases to their annual salary for their rostered hours, and how those increases are determined and calculated is up for negotiation. We look forward to meeting with the CFMEU in the coming week to try and resolve these negotiations.
“Opal’s contingency plans for product supply are ensuring our customers receive ongoing supply.
“Given our commitment to good faith bargaining and to the success of our Maryvale Mill, we remain confident that the Enterprise Agreement negotiations will be successfully resolved so that we can welcome our team members back to work.”
