Fundraising for axed LWR workers targets Westpac

APPEALING FARE: National Distribution Union central region administrator Gillian Magee, left, offers Eleanor Delport a biscuit outside a Westpac bank in Wellington.

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Laid off Lane Walker Rudkin Industries staff would have government backing for redundancy entitlements if they were Australian or British, a union says.

Westpac Bank has called in receivers to the manufacturer but staff fired last week have yet to receive owed redundancy and holiday entitlements.

Last week the receivers axed 186 of LWR's 470 jobs. Unions have been organising cake stalls in Wellington and Christchurch to help support the redundant staff financially.

But the stalls are also to signal to the Government and Westpac that they should take a supporting role.

LWR's debts are understood to be $100 million or more.

National Distribution Union southern region secretary Paul Watson said a worker who had worked at LWR for 18 years would probably have built up redundancy entitlements of about $16,000, while someone there for 30 years would be owed closer to $30,000.

"If you look at what the government provides for in the UK in these circumstances and the government provides in Australia, that's far better than what it is here ... " Mr Watson said.

The union's national secretary, Laila Harre, said the union wanted a more effective response from the Government and Westpac. "We are hopeful that the Government will come through with the funds needed for a resource centre that has been set up by the workers to help them with job search and other needs over the next few months."