March 23, 2010

Media Release

Sitel workers left high and dry by Telecom shift

Workers at Telecom 111 contractor Sitel are currently picketing outside the company’s Palmerston North offices to protest the company laying them off with no compensation.

The EPMU members, some of whom have been doing 111 work for up to sixteen years, have been made redundant following Telecom’s decision to move the Palmerston North operation to its Wellington centre.

EPMU lead organiser Wayne Ruscoe says workers deserve a lot better than they have got.

“These are workers who have shown a lot of loyalty to the company doing a job that can be emotionally very difficult but are now being left high and dry.

“Sitel is dependent on Telecom for what it pays these workers and we have asked for consideration to be given to making a redundancy payment to tide these workers over, but Telecom couldn’t care less.

“If Telecom can afford to pay its flash new CEO seven million dollars it can afford to stump up a decent exit package for loyal triple-one staff.

“Our members have been willing to work right up to the end of June to make sure services are maintained but with no job and no real compensation at the end of the contract they’re going to have to start looking for any job they can get before then.”

The EPMU has represented Sitel workers since 1999 in two negotiations, both of which included unsuccessful claims for redundancy protection.

Under the terms of Darien Fenton’s Redundancy Protection Bill, which is due to be read in Parliament in April, Sitel workers would receive redundancy compensation by law.

ENDS

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