Flavell honours work of PCP timber workers

te-pati-maori

Thu Jun 24 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Flavell honours work of PCP timber workers

Thursday, 24 June 2010, 9:48 am
Press Release: The Maori Party

Flavell honours work of PCP timber workers

Maori Party MP for Waiariki Te Ururoa Flavell is praising the work of former timber mill workers in eastern Bay of Plenty who today secured a significant health package.

Joe Harawira and his group Sawmill Workers Against Poisons have been in negotiations with the Ministry of Health for about a year now but their grievance dates back to the 1950s and 1980s, when they were exposed to high levels of Pentachlorophenol or PCP at the old Whakatane Board Mills and Kawerau Mill, Mr Flavell said.

“Joe and his team must be congratulated for being solely focused on getting a positive outcome for their workers and their whanau.

“Despite their struggle to be heard, they stayed strong in their truth of what they had experienced and today we honour their tenacity, strength and courage for their mokopuna's future.

“We’ve been following their progress over the last six years and seen the energy, the tenacity and mana they have carried with them in their journey to try and achieve some fraction of justice.”

PCP had a devastating impact on the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of more than 200 timber mill workers with many suffering from chronic pain, depression and mood swings.

While today’s decision to provide them with a health support service, which could cost between $400,000 to $750,000 to implement over two years, might not address all their issues, it was a start, Mr Flavell said.

Mr Flavell said Massey University should also be commended as its researchers proved that PCP was in fact a dangerous and toxic chemical – a finding that sent a significant wake up call to the Government and the timber industry.

ENDS

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