A Northland regional councillor says employees of a large forestry contractor are stunned and in limbo as the company's equipment has been seized and they face the prospect of losing their jobs.
Photo: 123rf
The forestry contractor Harvestpro has had its equipment repossessed by the finance company, GE money, which said the gear will be put up for sale in the coming weeks.
Harvestpro, which has made no public comment, employs more than 200 people in the Northland and Gisborne regions.
Northland Regional Councillor and by-election candidate Joe Carr said some of his close friends work for the company and that the whole community is in shock over what was happening.
"I've seen the transporters moving en masse the harvest equipment out of the North, I understand they're going right down as far as Taupo and I know firsthand some of the harvest crew who have told me what's happening.
"I've got a good friend and his entire family work with him on his job, and so their entire family has just got no income and it's not as if there's one in the family that can put the spuds in the pot. It is really tough for some people."
Mr Carr said the staff had no idea it was happening until they turned up to work that morning.
