Sitel to cut around 100 call centre jobs

August 21, 2013

Sitel to cut around 100 call centre jobs

Sitel has told staff it intends to cut around 100 jobs at its Onehunga site after Virgin Australia decided to relocate its Auckland contact centre to Brisbane and Manila.

The EPMU met with Sitel today to discuss the proposal.

The union is calling on Sitel to provide workers with alternative employment within the business, or compensation to help tide them over while they look for a new job.

EPMU national industry organiser Joe Gallagher says Sitel needs to take responsibility for the workers it is laying off.

“This is just another example of the insecure working conditions more and more New Zealanders are being expected to work under. You can’t build a career or plan for your future when your job can be contracted out at any time with no compensation.

“The workers at Sitel are mostly young and for many of them it’s their first job. Sitel promised them work and we think it owes them an opportunity to work elsewhere in the business, or else compensation to help tide them over until they find a new job.”

Mr Gallagher says the layoffs show the danger of relying on New Zealand’s relatively low wages to attract jobs from Australia.

“The Government has said New Zealand’s low wages are good for the economy because they help attract jobs from Australia. These layoffs show that joining the race to the bottom is not a strategy for secure jobs or higher wages.”

Consultation will take place over the next two weeks. The transfer of work to Brisbane and Manila is expected to be complete by mid-October.

ENDS

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