The IRD management is following a course of action in opposition to current government policy says Unite Union.

Unite represents workers employed by Salmat who is a third party call centre operator currently contracted to provide services to the IRD. This contract was review early this year and Salmat's services were discontinued to be replaced by temping agency Madison in September.

"The IRD have effectively replaced an experienced, unionised employer who offered fairly secure work with a temping agency," says Industrial Officer John Crocker.

"Madison, in turn, is offering the workers casual, temping positions with no guarantee of the same wage, destroying their job security. This also affects the public who will receive an inferior service.

"This seems to fly in the face of explicit Labour Government policy, namely 'Labour is committed to being a good employer in government. All core public sector employees will be paid at least the Living Wage, at a cost of $15m, and this will be extended to contractors over time.' [https://www.labour.org.nz/workplacerelations].

"Further the government has the Employment Relations (Triangular Employment) Amendment Act before parliament so any proposed cost savings will be wiped out when all sub-contractors have to treat their workers as fairly as the primary employer"

"The government needs to ensure that it's departments are not acting in a way that undermines the good work it is trying to do. The IRD management needs to be pulled into line on this, and a number of other issues raised by the Public Service Association", said Mr Crocker.

Unite has contacted IRD who refused to meet to discuss these issues.

Unite has contacted Minister Stuart Nash who has not responded.

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