PSA MEDIA RELEASE
May 12, 2009

For Immediate Use

Up to 200 Ministry of Social Development jobs being cut

The Public Service Association wants the government to tell the country why the Ministry of Social Development is having to cut up to 200 jobs even though demand for its services is increasing.

The Ministry of Social Development has begun telling staff today about a restructuring that will affect up to 600 workers with up to 200 jobs being cut.

“We’ll be working with the Ministry to try and retain as many staff as possible through redeployment,” says PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott. “We have a good relationship with the Ministry and commend them for working constructively with the union on this issue.”

The PSA is concerned about the impact cutting up to 200 jobs will have on workloads at the Ministry at a time when its workload is rising because of the global recession. “Fewer staff handling an increasing workload will create work pressures that put the delivery of essential social services at risk,” says Brenda Pilott.

“The Ministry of Social Development hasn’t had an increase in its baseline funding for eight years. We want the government to explain why it isn’t providing the funding the Ministry of Development needs to meet the increased demand for its services caused by the recession such as the large rise in unemployment,” says Brenda Pilott.

Ministry of Social Development staff provide essential social services to more than one million New Zealanders through a number of divisions including Child Youth and Family, Work and Income, Study Link and Family and Community Services.*

“The government needs to explain why a Ministry that supplies essential social services to more than one million New Zealanders is having to cut jobs when demand for those services is rising,” says Brenda Pilott.

“Unemployment has just reached a six-year high and the number of people on the dole is expected to more than double to 80,000 by early next year, yet the Ministry that helps unemployed New Zealanders has to cut its staff.”

“The government has just expanded its Job Support Scheme, known as the 9-day fortnight. The Prime Minister estimates an extra 2000 businesses and 140,000 workers are now able to join, yet the Ministry that runs the scheme is having to cut staff.”

“More than 288,000 New Zealanders were receiving security benefits at the end of March, 33,000 more than at March last year, yet the Ministry that supplies those benefits is being forced to cut its workforce.”

“The government needs to say why staff are being cut at our social services Ministry when a global recession is increasing the demand for the services these workers provide,” says Brenda Pilott.

ENDS

*Ministry of Social Development staff provide essential social services to more than one million New Zealanders. This includes:

Child Youth and Family staff who provide care and protection to our most vulnerable children and young people.

Work and Income staff who help unemployed New Zealanders find work. They also provide more than 288,000 social security benefits, retirement support and Super Gold discount cards to more than 540,000 people aged over 65 and help with living expenses for 1.1 million people who qualify for a Community Services Card.

Study Link staff who last year helped 178,000 people in full time study get a student loan and also provided more than 48,000 student allowances.

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