The PSA is criticising a new proposal from ACC that would mean a major overhaul of its Injury Prevention team.

The proposal includes a loss of seven roles, including specialist Māori and sexual violence prevention roles.

"We strongly oppose cutting specialist prevention workers at ACC, it will cause harm and cost us all more in the long run," Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, says.

"It is much better to focus on injury and harm prevention. This proposal would see the loss of injury and harm prevention experts that ACC itself knows are critical in preventing harm and injuries."

"New Zealand has a problem with sexual violence and ACC will have less ability to target prevention measures with the loss of these specialist roles."

Currently, the Injury Prevention team is split into four portfolios: Targeted (falls, roads and sport); Treatment Safety; Workplace; and Strategic (which covers family and sexual violence).

Under the new proposal, the portfolios would be slashed, and specialist roles would be filled with generalist workers.

"As ACC states in their own consultation document, this team has delivered fantastic value to New Zealand communities, only to be cut to save money in the short-term.

"It doesn’t make any sense - our communities will miss out, and the cost of the harm will still fall on ACC’s bottom line."

Staff consultation on the proposed changes close on 28 October, the PSA will be making a submission opposing this.

Recent PSA releases on ACC:

• More than 1200 ACC workers join other health workers in striking Thursday
• Time for urgent action on ACC culture problems - much needs to be fixed

Note

The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

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