Aiding laid-off workers

Newmarket car dealer Team Nissan has found new jobs for almost all of its 30 staff who will become redundant when the company loses its Nissan franchise for Auckland City on April 1.

Seventeen have been taken on by Schofields, just around the corner from Team Nissan's Broadway site, which has been awarded the Nissan franchise.

Team Nissan administration manager Jessica Antonievic said the company had found jobs elsewhere for almost all of the other 13. "Finding our staff replacement jobs come April 1 has been our number one priority."

EPMU union organiser Enzo Giordani, who has been negotiating for six union members on the site, said the company had "really gone out of its way" to find new jobs for its staff despite the recession. He said other redundant workers were finding it hard to find new jobs.

21 POINTS: WHAT THE SUMMIT RECOMMENDED

1. REDUCE RISK

Cut likelihood of redundancy for 70,000 workers with 9-day fortnight and training or community work on the 10th day.

2. STIMULATE

Create a seasonal work marketplace.

3. NURTURE

Keep people in education and create jobs through education and training.

4. SUPPLY DEMAND

Matching training to job opportunities.

5. INVEST

Improve support for unemployed to get them back into jobs.

6. WORK TOGETHER

Create employment by using Maori land and water assets for export-focused use.

7. IMPROVE

Ensure that government services to Maori deliver effective results.

8. CONSOLIDATE

Aggregate local government debt to gain debt funding at lower interest rates.

9. COMPLY

Taskforces to streamline and reduce costs of compliance for industry.

10. FAST-TRACK

Taskforces to help major projects through to realisation.

11. CUT TAPE

Stop all new regulations unless approved by ministers.

12. ATTRACT

$60 million public/private fund to boost tourism.

13. ACCELERATE

Energy, environmental and water initiatives.

14. POWER

Streamline approval of new power transmission projects.

15. ACCESS

Extend the Export Credit Office to domestic firms that need funding.

16. REVISE

Revise government procurement guidelines to ensure they do not bias against local providers.

17. SUPER-CHARGE

Streamline debt market reporting and disclosure requirements, long term bond issues, wider involvement.

18. FUND

Help investors invest in small businesses, with kickstart from banks and Government.

19. COMMIT

Banks and Government co-fund partnership to supply capital to NZ firms.

20. IMPROVE

Banks to significantly invest in financial literacy for small business.


21. PLUS

A national cycleway to employ 4000 people and cost about $50 million.