Work is ongoing at EIT Te Pukenga's main campus in Taradale, which suffered severe flooding in the February cyclone. Photo / Warren Buckland
A senior lecturer and union representative at EIT Te Pūkenga says the way staff are being treated through a job loss proposal is “appalling”.
But Te Pūkenga has hit back at claims potentially affected staff were told of the consultation process by email, saying roles are potentially significantly impacted by the proposals were informed in kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) meetings before the proposed structure was released to staff more generally.
“We realise times of transition are challenging and have followed a careful process in informing kaimahi about the change proposal and consultation process.”
EIT Te Pūkenga - formerly known as Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) - is the main tertiary provider in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.
It was one of 16 polytechs and institutes of technology across the country merged into one mega polytechnic, Te Pūkenga, at the start of this year.
Last week, the nationwide education provider, which has around 10,000 staff, announced it would cut more than 400 jobs across the country.
It is unclear exactly how many jobs will go in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, a figure Te Pūkenga said would not be decided until August.
It is understood the nationwide proposal includes turning around 960 current jobs into 550 new positions.
Tertiary Education Union national women’s vice-president Jael Reiri, who is also a senior lecturer in EIT’s nursing school, said the way the job losses were announced last week was poorly done.
“It was appalling the way we were notified. We were sent an email,” she said.
She said staff were invited to listen to an online meeting after the emails had been sent out, but there was no opportunity to ask questions.
She said the wording in each email was slightly different and, for those whose jobs were at risk, they now had to go through a five-week consultation process.
“They have given us a consultation timeline which is around five weeks, but in saying that . . . the feedback portal that they have created for us to share our feedback actually isn’t up and running,” said Reiri, whose job is secure.
“I wrote to them on Friday and said I can’t even register [through the portal] and they said ‘people are having a hard time getting in but we think it is fixed’.”
She said staff in Hawke’s Bay were finding the uncertainty of the merger tough to work under and “morale within Hawke’s Bay is very low”.
Reiri said this entire restructuring should have been completed by now to provide staff with certainty.
“We are in 2023 and they started this [merger] in 2019,” she said.
“It is not valuing us as staff - the ones who are on the floor and doing the actual mahi [work].”
She claimed many employees had resigned over the past year due to the flawed merger process.
She said the challenging environment had been compounded by the February cyclone, which had seen many courses moved to different sites while the main campus in Taradale continues to be repaired.
She said staff wanted certainty as soon as possible about their futures.
“That will help to give us clarity going forward - it is our livelihoods. People should not have to be suffering in their jobs which we are.”
An in-person meeting has been organised in Taradale later this week, where EIT Te Pūkenga staff will get the opportunity to ask questions about the restructuring.
A spokesperson for Te Pūkenga said the hui on Thursday and Friday last week were open to all 10,000 staff across the motu and gave them an opportunity to hear about the proposals and the consultation process.
“It is important to remember that last week saw the opening of a five-week consultation period during which all kaimahi (staff) have online access to documents outlining the full details of the proposals, including roles impacted as well as new roles. In addition, further face-to-face and online meetings are taking place this week and over the next few weeks to answer questions our people may have.”
A spokesperson said since it was established it had made the best use of resources available so learners had access to the quality training they need, while also responding to its current operating environment.
“Any new recruitment is reviewed through this lens to support both our core mission of teaching and training as well as financial sustainability.”
The spokesperson said the initial capacity issue on the consultation platform had been resolved and staff have been able to access the portal and consultation document since last week.
Te Pūkenga chief executive Peter Winder said the organisation had “faced considerable financial headwinds” like the rest of the tertiary sector.
“A unified structure will remove expensive duplication and inefficiencies in the system,” he said.
“We have a wealth of talent across Te Pūkenga and are committed to retaining our people and giving them the first opportunity to take up new roles.”
Tertiary Education Union organiser Daniel Benson-Guiu told RNZ last week that most of the losses appeared to be among management roles.
* This story has been updated to include a response from Te Pūkenga - it says it did have face-to-face meetings with the staff most affected by the proposal.