Cyclone Gita and work: Unions Wellington says stay safe

Cyclone Gita and work: Unions Wellington reminds working people to stay safe!

Unions Wellington convenor Ben Peterson wants to remind working people in Wellington to stay safe. Tomorrow the Wellington region is due to be hit by the tail end of Cyclone Gita which is likely to result in high winds, lots of rain and the possibility of flooding.

Peterson said, "It’s important to view this as a health and safety issue. Put yourself first and don't do anything that might be dangerous to you or others.

This means don't be a hero in trying to get to work. Don't try to cross flood waters just for a shift at KFC, its not worth it."

Unions Wellington has issued the following to union members:

"We understand that some people will be worried about losing pay or getting in trouble with the boss if they can’t make it to work. Here are some ideas to consider that might help:

- Check your contract. Many contracts have provisions for shift cancellations due to bad weather. Worst case scenario, if you have a weak contract, your employer should still be able to help make annual leave available if you can’t make it to work. If you can’t make it to work because it’s too dangerous and your employer is trying to dock your pay, you can contact your union for support.

- An employer cannot take disciplinary action against an employee who isn’t able to make it to work during a cyclone.

Unfortunately, unreasonable employers do exist, and some of them may try to mistreat workers who can’t make it in during the storm.

If this happens to you or a friend, you should contact your union (or Unions Wellington) for assistance. Stay safe everyone."

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