20 staff face disciplinary action after refinery theft investigation

More than 20 staff at the New Zealand Refining Company face disciplinary action after a large-scale investigation into allegations of misuse of company property.

The investigation following a tip-off from outside the Marsden Pt refinery that staff had been taking company property has damaged company morale and angered a workers' union.

Refinery chief executive and general manager Thomas Zengerly said on Friday that petrol and tools were among the items staff had admitted taking. He said all the offending was on a small scale, but was "enough to worry about".

More than 90 per cent of the refinery's staff had been interviewed.

Mr Zengerly said some union members had taken the advice of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union not to take part in the interviews.

In a letter it said such a widespread investigation was "not the action of a fair and reasonable employer".

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE