Dunedin jobs at risk in restructuring

Dunedin jobs could be on the line as restructuring looms in government organisations.

Ten positions have been disestablished this week at ACC in Dunedin, although five staff have been reappointed within the organisation.

Inland Revenue has signalled it plans to cut about 1500 jobs nationally between 2018 and 2021, and New Zealand Post 500 nationally in the coming months.

ACC has 407 permanent employees in Dunedin, Inland Revenue 161 and New Zealand Post 142.

An ACC spokeswoman confirmed 10 positions in Dunedin's business process management team had been disestablished.

Of those staff, five had been reappointed to other permanent positions in Dunedin.

"We are working with the remaining five affected staff to identify new opportunities within ACC.''

Those five would be considered for roles regardless of location and ACC would help with relocation costs if that was outside Dunedin.

"Our service to Dunedin clients will not be affected.''

An Inland Revenue spokesman confirmed reports the organisation was cutting jobs through its business transformation programme.

There had been no decisions on where the cuts would be within New Zealand.

"I would caution on extrapolating the estimated overall staff reduction from the tax system overhaul to one region, as the nature of work done in that locality may or may not be significantly impacted by changes to our systems and processes.

"It is also anticipated that natural attrition will make a significant contribution to the overall reduction in staff numbers.''

A spokeswoman from the Public Service Association, the union for some staff, said her organisation was working through the plan with Inland Revenue.

Joe Gallagher, the industry organiser for postal workers in Etu, said NZ Post's plan to cut 500 management, head office and support roles could include the loss of some jobs in Dunedin and other parts of Otago and Southland.

The company said job cuts would ‘‘mainly'' be from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

"I don't think it's isolated to those three main centres. They are casting an eye over all management jobs and specialist jobs,'' Mr Gallagher said.

A NZ Post spokeswoman confirmed the job losses would predominantly be from the three main centres, but "fewer than five'' leadership roles could be affected in the next couple of years in Otago and Southland.

And a review of general staff at the University of Otago expected to lead to job cuts is still in its "scoping phase''.

University director of human resources Kevin Seales said this meant it was "too early'' to determine outcomes, including potential job losses.

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement