NEW ZEALAND — A week after 230 workers heard the news of job losses due to the closure of the WPI sawmill and pulp mill in the Ruapehu District, another 75 pulp workers at the Oji pulp mill in Penrose are awaiting the announcement of their fate at 8.00 am on Wednesday 18 September. Oji Fibre Solutions announced to its Penrose staff last month that it was considering closure and entered into a 4 week consultation period with the workforce and their unions, FIRST and E tū, followed by a 2 week decision period. “On behalf of our members, the unions… made a comprehensive submission that concluded with the call for the mill to remain open,” said Justin Wallace, FIRST Union organiser for the Oji Penrose Mill. “This mill is different from every other pulp mill in the country. Its feedstock is not wood, but recycled cardboard and paper.”