KCA mill workers to vote on new pay deal

MEMBERS of the largest blue collar union at the Kimberly-Clark Australia Millicent Mill will vote on a new enterprise bargaining offer of a staggered 4.5pc pay rise and a $1000 cash incentive.

Negotiations between the company, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) and two other blue-collar unions have been held for over four years as the last pay rise was July 1, 2014.

If accepted, the agreement will govern operations at the Millicent Mill until July 1, 2020.

There are 260 members of the CFMEU pulp and papermakers division.

The local branch committee has held on-site meetings in recent days to gauge the feelings of union members and the final forum is today.

Melbourne-based CFMEU federal secretary Alex Millar said it was now up to the members at the Millicent Mill to consider their options.

“It has been a long period of negotiation … the local branch committee has negotiated as far as we can,” Mr Millar said.

The Border Watch Newsgroup has approached local KCA management for comment.

Meanwhile, the board of directors of the American KCA parent company released its latest quarterly financial statement on Tuesday.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation chief executive Tom Falk and other executives addressed an online forum.