A heated dispute between striking workers of a Kawerau paper mill and the company they work for has escalated to the Employment Relations Authority.
Essity has locked workers out and is now threatening to sue them for more than $500 million.
The hygiene manufacturer wants to make its workers liable for damages, after they started striking for better pay.
Felix Walton has more.
In a statement, Essity said average earnings of union employees at Kawerau is $120,000 annually, including overtime.
It said it is offering 14.7 percent rise over three years - and the union's request for an upfront seven percent increase ignores soaring production costs.
