NZ Post set to axe 10 Whangarei jobs

NZ Post Whangarei is set to cut several jobs.

Up to 10 jobs are likely to go at NZ Post's Whangarei mail sorting centre, with other job losses possible at Dargaville, Kerikeri and Waipu as NZ Post centralises its sorting centres in the face of a huge drop in mail.

EPMU postal industry organiser Joe Gallagher said NZ Post is consulting workers over its plan to cut up to 10 jobs from its Whangarei mail processing centre in Rewa Rewa Rd, which employs 56 people.

The consultation follows an announcement by NZ Post in June that it plans to close its Waikato, Wellington, Dunedin and heartland mailing processing centres at the cost of 500 jobs as mail volumes continue to decline by 8 per cent a year.

Mail processing operations will be centralised, which will involve the number of mail processing centres streamlined in a phased approach from six sites to three.

There will be an increase in people employed at the three mail centres, which will continue in an expanded form in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch, but cuts at the mail centres where processing functions will be discontinued in Waikato, Wellington and Dunedin and in satellite sites including Whangarei.

"NZ Post has tried to downplay the effects of these cuts by saying more jobs will be created in Auckland, the Manawatu and Christchurch, but the fact is most people won't be able to relocate to take them up," Mr Gallagher said.

"This is a bad time to find yourself on the dole queue. For people left without work in Northland it's going to be incredibly hard to find another job with secure hours and good rates of pay.

"The Government should support the regions by making jobs a priority and reminding NZ Post that it is a vital public service. It should not chase profit at the expense of communities like Northland."

EPMU members at NZ Post will be entitled to redundancy pay under their collective agreement, he said.

An NZ Post spokesman told the Northern Advocate the workers would be offered relocation - though he acknowledged this would be difficult for some staff - and the company would give any other support it could, including linking them with other employers, putting together CVs and budgeting advice.

Consultation with the staff would continue for the next week with a final decision on the new structure - which the spokesman said would lead to a more efficient and cost effective service - will be outlined on October 24.