Staff cry foul over pay rise for boss
Napier City Council’s staff association is up in arms over a $29,000 pay rise given to their chief executive, who they say has reduced the organisation’s morale to ‘‘an alltime low’’.
Meanwhile, the council has offered the association’s 124 members and 40 affiliated members an increase of 1.7 per cent in negotiations for a new collective agreement.
Members said they were stunned when it was revealed last week that Wayne Jack had received a $29,000 rise in the year to June, bringing his total package to $318,730.
Jack has rejected the association’s claim that morale is at an all-time low, and has said his pay was deemed by an independent party to be below what others in similar roles are paid.
The association said yesterday: ‘‘During negotiations with [Jack], the Staff Association has requested for members to be paid what they are worth.
‘‘Mr Jack has argued that the pay rise is based upon ratepayer affordability.
‘‘Yet based on Mr Jack’s salary increase, he does not appear to be constrained by the same consideration.’’
The group also said a controversial ‘‘realignment’’ announced earlier this year aimed at increasing administrative efficiency had led to the redundancy or resignation of experienced staff.
‘‘This has caused a sharp increase in consultancy fees, which is likely to continue for several years as new staff are appointed and get up to speed.’’
There had been an ‘‘unprecedented number of personal grievances brought against the council by the association and individuals’’ and the cost to council in legal fees and consultant’s fees in recent months ‘‘was likely to be in the realm of hundreds of thousands’’.
Jack took up the chief executive role in September 2013.