Media Statement
From: Wayne Jackson, Acting Chief Executive
NorthTec is very disappointed with the comments made by TEU representative Jill Jones in her press release “New
Challenges for NorthTec”.
We were very pleased to conclude the recent salary negotiations and to learn that TEU members had voted their approval,
overwhelmingly, for the settlement.
This provides a solid foundation to work together over the next few years as the NZIST becomes fully operative. To
support that, we are currently reallocating some non–government funded staff resources to ensure we meet the vocational
educational needs of the region.
Responding to Ms Jones’ comments, we are mindful always of the impact of organisational change upon people, but the
change she referred to involves very small staff numbers, many of whom are actively working with us on redeployment.
Ms Jones’ characterisation of these changes as creating “havoc” and the questioning of our values is well astray of the
reality of our situation and serve to undermine the goodwill demonstrated in reaching the agreed settlement. We do not
understand why she has made these comments in this way and we have referred her comments to the TEU Head Office for
their review.