Redundancies shock staff

Press, 15 August 1988, Page 9

Redundancies shock staff

PA Wellington Maori Affairs head office staff say they are shocked by plans to shed at least 60 office jobs by next April, says the office of Public Service Association national delegate, Mr Ross White.

Staff held meetings last week to discuss the plans, unveiled by the department’s chief executive, Dr Tamati Reedy. Members were particularly concerned at the lack of consultation about the plans, Mr White said. A few departmental directors and deputy secretaries were consulted, “but the rank and file, the people who matter,” were not asked their views.

The plan envisaged the 60 positions being ab-

sorbed through natural attrition, retirements, and transfers to other departments. Attrition amounted to use of a sinking lid policy where staff who left would not be replaced and this would mean staff left behind would have to work twice as hard, P.S.A. members said. Conditions of retirement include a person having to be over 50 and have at least 10 years service. Few head office employees were in that bracket, Mr White said. The possibility of staff transferring to other departments also came under question. Other departments had been given the same message to hone their operations and most were already well staffed.