Press Release – Public Service Association

“The government has axed 25 jobs at the Department of Labour,” says PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff. “The government has shut down the Department of Labour’s pay and employment equity unit, at the cost of seven jobs.” ‘This action nails …

PSA MEDIA RELEASE
May 14, 2009
For Immediate Use

Govt axes 25 jobs at Department of Labour

“The government has axed 25 jobs at the Department of Labour,” says PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff.

“The government has shut down the Department of Labour’s pay and employment equity unit, at the cost of seven jobs.”

‘This action nails the coffin shut on efforts to gain pay equity for women.”

“They have has also cut 18 jobs of staff working with employers, educators and local government throughout the country to meet regional workforce needs,” says Richard Wagstaff.

The Pay and Employment Equity Unit at the Department of Labour has been shut down and its seven staff have had their jobs cut. They were working to address the fact that women in New Zealand are paid on average 12% less than men.

The department’s team of regional labour market knowledge managers, who are spread throughout the country and help meet the workforce needs of employers on a regional basis, has also been axed. Eighteen staff have had their jobs cut.

Staff at the Department of Labour were told these jobs have been cut “to align our priorities with those of the Government.”

“The government is directly responsible for axing these 25 jobs and pulling the plug on the important work being done by these skilled and hardworking public service workers,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“The staff in the Pay and Employment Equity Unit were working to address a major injustice in New Zealand, the fact that women are paid on average 12% less than men primarily because they are women,” says Richard Wagstaff.

In the case of social workers at Child Youth and Family, a pay and employment equity review showed that men employed at the service are paid on average 9.5% more than their women colleagues. The review showed that this is primarily due to the fact that 80 per cent of CYF social workers are women. The PAEE unit was working to address this pay gap.

“By scrapping the unit the government is turning its back on women in New Zealand and saying ‘we don’t care that you’re not being fairly rewarded for the work you do’,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“The government is also turning its back on the employment needs of employers throughout the country by scrapping the nationwide network of regional labour market knowledge managers.”

“These mangers work with employers, industry groups, institutions providing skills training and local government in 12 regions, so that each region has the workers it needs to keep its economy running.”

“For instance identifying that Marlborough’s vineyards currently need 3500 workers to prune their vines and that 1700 of these workers will have to be bought in from overseas.”

“The skills and knowledge these managers have about their region’ workforce needs are needed now more than ever in the face of the global recession.”

“They’re on the frontline in the battle to keep New Zealanders in work and yet the government has cut their jobs. What happened to its commitment to keep New Zealanders in work? ” says Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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