Public Service in a ‘stricken state’

Press, 29 June 1985, Page 27

Public Service in a ‘stricken state’

PA Wellington Hundreds of people are abandoning their jobs in the Public Service, leaving it in a “stricken state.” According to the Public Service Association, 3000 people resigned from the Public Service alone during the first three months of the year. The State Services Commission puts the figure for the first quarter of the year at 2661, compared with 1670 for the first three months last year. The situation is worst in Auckland, where 620 people resigned during the first three months this year compared with 350 for the same period last year. The association’s presi-

dent, Mr Colin Hicks, said yesterday that the loss of staff and the inability of the Public Service to recruit had left it in a stricken state. Mr Hicks said the situation was getting worse every day. There had been resignations through a wide range of occupational groups and this was “extremely worrying” to the P.S.A. People were being attracted to the private sector by higher pay rates, but were leaving the Public Service with “some regret.” Mr Hicks said the P.S.A. had told the commission that the implementation of corrective measures could not be left until the next wage round.