PSA wants redundancy pay for Terralink workers
Public Service Association
Media release
19 January
PSA wants redundancy pay for Terralink workers
The announcement today that the 67 workers
previously employed by Terralink will receive the wages and
holiday pay owed to them is welcomed by the PSA. But it is
concerned the 67 workers and Terralink’s remaining staff
face losing the redundancy pay, months notice and long
service leave entitlements set out in their current
contract.
‘Under the present law employees have only a
preferential claim for holidays and salary. Other
entitlements such as redundancy, notice and long service
leave are unsecured. That means there is no guarantee these
workers will be paid their full entitlement even though it
may be in their contract,’ said National secretary Richard
Wagstaff.
‘Terralink workers are in a specialist field.
Many of them have given years of loyal public service and
deserve compensation for the loss of a career. They face an
uncertain and bleak future with only a limited chance of
finding alternative employment. We believe the government
has a moral obligation as a shareholder to honour the
contract,’ he said.
‘It is time the government acted to
amend legislation covering receivership to ensure workers’
entitlements, including redundancy payments, are given
priority over other claimants. It is ridiculous that large
and wealthy organisations like banks are paid out ahead of
workers who have given years of loyal service,’ Wagstaff
said.
For more comment or information please call
the
PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff on 025 2778131