In an email, KiwiRail Chief People and Communications Officer Andrew Norton said the move was designed to “reshape the business, lower our costs and create a solid footing for future growth”.
The transport operator had been proposing job cuts for months in a bid to lower costs, and had previously offered some teams the opportunity to apply for redundancy.
In the all-staff email, seen by RNZ, KiwiRail said it was extending the offer to all staff from Monday.
Employees had two weeks to apply, and KiwiRail would decide which applications had been accepted around November 11, the email said.
On October 10, KiwiRail announced it was proposing to axe more than 50 roles across ferry company Interislander’s operational staff and head office.
At the time, documents seen by RNZ showed KiwiRail had plans to “right-size its workforce” following the cancellation of new ferries and the sale of the freight-only Valentine, last year.
KiwiRail has been approached for comment.
