18 June 2013

Horan: Unscrupulous employer Kiwirail is already breaking promises

Brendan Horan supports permanent railway workers outraged that KiwiRail has broken its word by bringing in contractors to do essential core work.

“On Thursday KiwiRail staff in Tauranga were so incensed they downed tools to protest. Bosses at the State-Owned Enterprise have shown callous disregard by contracting out work at the main Tauranga depot and other sites across the country,” said Mr Horan.

That work performed at the main Tauranga depot last week included re-gauging (bringing the gauge or width of the track back to 1.067m / 3’ 6” after the rails spread wider) and spot re-sleepering (replacing individual sleepers as necessary.)

“This is rubbing mud in the face of workers.

“In late 2012 during the ‘Turnaround Programme’ restructuring, solemn promises were made to the workforce. KiwiRail is now flagrantly breaking those promises. It is anything but a good employer.

“I am concerned that the combination of the National Party Government, with its record of bad employment legislation, and unscrupulous employers are once again combining to undermine trust in our workforce. The action of State-Owned Enterprise KiwiRail is a recipe for industrial unrest,” said independent MP Brendan Horan.

ENDS

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