NZ Garment Workers Pretest

By Robin Bromby

IN LATE May workers took to the streets of Christchurch, in New Zea land’s South Island, with banners call ing for controls on Fijian goods. It was the most obvious manifestation of growing union anger at competition from low-paid island workers an anger that grows with every factory closure and one that looks like becoming a major political issue in economically depressed New Zealand.

In May, Christchurch garment maker R W Saunders Ltd closed its factory and fired all 95 workers. Another clothing firm, Lane Walker Rudkin, had previously an nounced the closing of its garment plants in the small South Island towns of Te muka and Westport.

The closures reflect the deep economic recession that has swept across New Zea land, particularly the South Island, and the government’s allowing 50 per cent of gar ment content to be imported. Already an Auckland company, Miller Apparel, has entered a joint venture with two Fijian companies and Melbourne’s Stafford Group that will eventually employ 2500 Fijian workers.

When clothing workers took to the streets of Christchurch, some of the signs specifically attacked Fiji for costing NZ workers’ jobs; others complained “Free

Trade Zones Formal Slavery”.

The recession has affected not just the garment industry, but most of New Zea land manufacturing. Barely a day goes by but the newspapers report another factory closure, but Fijian labour is a clear target.

There are fears that, as things turn worse in New Zealand, feelings will turn against countries seen to be doing well at New Zealand’s expense. There is certainly con cern within Austrade, the Australian fed eral trade organisation, that continuing de industrialisation of New Zealand will turn the country against the Closer Economic Relationship accord if Australians are seen to be getting the better of the deal.

It is an issue that has joined both em ployers and unions in New Zealand. Chris Pickrill, managing director of the Lane Walker Rudkin subsidiary that closed two factories in May, has been reported as say ing the government had gone overboard to provide help to South Pacific Forum countries. The Textile and Garment Trade Group estimates that within a year the Fi jian garment industry could grow to half the size of New Zealand’s.

Fiji has been rubbing further salt in the wounds by taking out advertisements in New Zealand papers promoting the tax incentives offered to new industries. □