PSA MEDIA RELEASE
22 April 2013

Wellington City councillors still out of the loop on job cuts

The Public Service Association says it appears Wellington City councillors are still being kept out of the loop when it comes to job cuts at the Council.

At a Council meeting earlier this month it emerged that the mayor and councillors were unaware that 150 jobs had been axed from the CitiOperations infrastructure unit due to outsourcing.

The PSA says restructuring through other areas of the Council is continuing to cost jobs without the knowledge of many councillors.

Up to six job losses have been announced in the Consultation and Engagement team. The people affected play an active role in supporting groups in the community such as Pasifika, youth and disability.

PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott says “ironically this type of community support is something which councillors have been keen to build up, yet they had no idea positions were being cut.”

In the Building Compliance and Consents area 51 roles, including specialist building inspectors, plumbing and ventilation experts, are being disestablished and there will be resulting redundancies.

Brenda Pilott says the team is responsible for leaky homes and making sure new buildings meet earthquake standards.

“It’s an important area of the Council’s work and while councillors had some idea changes were planned they did not realise the extent of the restructure and that jobs were being disestablished.”

“It appears there are some large communication issues between the Council’s senior management and its elected officials which need to be sorted out. In the interest of staff, ratepayers and the community, it’s important that the left hand knows what the right hand is doing,” she says.
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