Plastics manufacturer Sistema has proposed a major cut to its Auckland factory’s workforce.
The proposal would cull 102 positions, with the workforce reduced from 407 roles to 305. A statement from union E tū said workers at the plant were “gutted”.
Georgie Dansey, director at E tū, said she understood the position Sistema was in – but she would like to see the company “do a lot to help support the workers who will lose their jobs”.
“As we begin consultation around this proposal, the immediate and longer-term interests of affected workers must be front and centre,” Dansey said.
Ma Roberts, a Sistema worker and E tū industry convener for manufacturing and food, said the announcement was “hard to take”.
“We’ve known about this possibility for a while but, for many, it still seems like a real surprise,” Roberts said.
“Work has been slowing down since last year and we know the production costs have risen for the company.
“But people rely on this work to get by, and for many workers this job is the best opportunity they have.”
Roberts also regretted that the proposal had come so close to Christmas, “a stressful and expensive time for many people”.
“Employees have seen that work has been quiet for a long time now, so it’s a disappointment that this is being brought up right before Christmas when families are under pressure.
“Many workers have English as a second language and are worried they could have trouble finding new work. We have older workers too, who could struggle.
“There is a lot of fear around what is to come,” Roberts continued.
“The company has offered voluntary redundancy which is good, but we will need a fair and transparent process to figure out who gets to keep their job, and those who don’t will need as much support from the company as possible.”
Dansey said there were “promising early signs” that the company and union could work together to support the workers.
“For example, they are offering a paid four-week notice period without a requirement to work, and an extra four weeks’ pay after that. This will certainly help people who have lost their jobs to get back on their feet.
“However, we know there is a lot more companies can do in this situation. We’d like to see support for training and skills development, for example help with developing numeracy and literacy to give workers a better shot in the job market.”
A Sistema spokesperson told RNZ: “We have an amazing workforce at Sistema, but we need to make operational changes to ensure the company is in the best position to meet the needs of the current market now and into the future.”