Tairawhiti Infrastructure Workers Face an Uncertain Future

Tairawhiti Infrastructure Workers Face an Uncertain Future

Re-tendering roading and broadband contracts in the Gisborne region puts more than 300 infrastructure workers in limbo says FIRST Union General Secretary Robert Reid.

FIRST Union, which represents workers in the infrastructure industry, held its annual delegates forum in Gisborne where concerns emerged over the decision to re-tender the region’s contracts for road construction, maintenance and rollout of the Ultra Fast Broadband Network.

“Joblessness is already a serious concern in the Gisborne region. While the national unemployment rate sits at 5.7 per cent the unemployment rate in the Gisborne region sits at 7.8 per cent” says Mr Reid.

In 2014 the Gisborne District Council partnered with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to establish Tairawhiti Roads, an independent business which was tasked with tendering for two Network Outcome Contracts to replace the three current contracts.

“The Gisborne District Council and NZTA welcomed the $3 million in savings Tairawhiti Roads might make. But the re-tendering process is leaving 300 infrastructure workers in limbo, not knowing if their companies will win the new tenders or not” says Mr Reid.

“The infrastructure industry used to provide secure jobs with decent pay. Today the industry offers insecure jobs with poorer pay. Workers are forced to live contract to contract. While the Gisborne District Council searches for even the smallest cost saving, like it did when it corporatised and then privatised Eastworks, infrastructure workers themselves suffer”.

“Even the promise of long term jobs in the rollout of the Ultra Fast Broadband Network is proving hollow with approximately 15 workers from two companies about to be made redundant. The rollout is estimated to take another 4 years but jobs are actually decreasing not increasing” says Mr Reid.

“There are suggestions that cost savings need to be made by switching the rollout from an underground network to an above ground network. Local workers and companies are the losers when infrastructure development is subject to this sort of penny-pinching.”

“The FIRST Union is calling on the Gisborne Council to fulfil its duty of care to local workers and companies. The Gisborne region already suffers from high unemployment and needs more secure jobs, not less” says Mr Reid.

ENDS

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