Invercargill City Council pay cuts criticised
A SOUTHLAND union is asking Invercargill city councillors to intervene and ‘‘prevent unnecessary financial pain’’ for council staff whose pay would be reduced due to Covid19.
The call has come after Invercargill City Council (ICC) staff were advised of pay changes via a newsletter penned by chief executive Clare Hadley last week.
The newsletter outlined ICC staff working full time would receive 100% pay and those working part time 75%, while those unable to work would receive only 50% of their wages.
Employees were advised they could make up their wage shortfall by using annual leave.
Unions Southland spokeswoman Anna Huffstuttler said it was up to the mayor and councillors to step in.
‘‘The mayor and our councillors have said they are united in their focus on the welfare of every member of the Invercargill community. Surely, that should also extend to the staff who work for them,’’ Ms Huffstuttler said.
Ms Hadley said yesterday the ICC executive leadership team had taken steps to ensure the council could continue to employ all its staff, despite not being eligible for the Government’s wage subsidy scheme.
‘‘This meant that council immediately committed to continuing to pay all staff, at full wages, during Alert Level 4,’’ she said.
‘‘It was also agreed that all staff would continue to be paid in some way, rather than not paying them anything — which was an option that remained open to us, or by exploring redundancy measures.’’
Councils throughout Southland and Otago were all dealing with Covid19 work restrictions and staffing differently.
Southland District Council (SDC) staff who were able to work at least 80% of their usual hours were on full pay.
SDC chief executive Steve Ruru said it was not possible to have everyone working and paid as normal at Level 3.
‘‘Therefore, we are working with affected individuals to agree on a solution,’’ he said.
Those staff needed to take leave or leave without pay.
Some staff at the Waitaki District Council had taken leave during Alert Level 4 and into Alert Level 3 but about 95% of core staff were working remotely or were redeployed.
The council could not maintain wages for casual employees and just 2% of total staff, all working parttime, could not work remotely or be redeployed.
All Clutha District Council employees, apart from casual staff with no work, were paid as normal during Level 4.
In Level 3, any staff who could not work from home or be redeployed were asked to take sick leave.
Central Otago District Council chief executive Sanchia Jacobs said it was looking at ways staff could continue to work under the various alert levels.
A few, mostly parttime, staff were ‘‘vulnerable’’ but the council would still seek ‘‘opportunities that might suit their circumstances’’.
Environment Southland, the Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council did not cut pay or ask staff to take leave.
The Gore District Council was ‘‘working through options’’ with parttime staff who had ‘‘no shortterm prospect of normal duties resuming’’.
Staff at the Queenstown Lakes District Council were paid their full salaries during Level 4.
However, it was unclear what might happen to staffing levels longer term.