Concern over consultation

IDEA Services jumped the gun when it decided to cut five per cent of its business without consultation, an E tu union advocate says.

A consultation for the withdrawal process is underway and South Canterbury support staff and service user families can provide feedback.

E tu met with the disability support provider on Monday afternoon to discuss the transition plans, which could affect about 20 per cent, or 1200, of its client base and about 200 support staff.

Union advocate Alistair Duncan said the union had asked for consultation to be put on hold as it was concerned the process was moving too fast after the cuts were first discussed as a proposal earlier in the month.

However, IHC New Zealand general manager Gina Rogers said a lot of feedback had already been received.

‘‘Many are most concerned with learning how it will affect them and the people we support.Therefore we are keen to keep things moving.’’

The disability support provider expected to offer staff other work and many already worked some of their hours in other parts of the business, she said.

‘‘We know everyone wants to know how this will work. We’ll know more after the consultation period.’’

But Duncan maintains the timeframe is too short. E tu was ‘‘not happy’’ with the consultation process and had asked IDEA Services to put it on hold.

‘‘We need to know who the other parties that might be interested in picking the services up are, what the time frame for them are, what IDEA’s view is for its workforce.’’

The cuts were detailed in a let- ter to staff last week, although Duncan said it ‘‘moved far beyond the consultation to effectively say here is a decision made’’.

‘‘It’s one of those devil’s in the details argument, but we are concerned that IDEA Services has jumped the gun and we’ve invited them to rethink and slow down the process.’’

The union planned to meet again with IDEA Services on Friday.

‘‘One of the questions in our mind is whether or not IDEA, should there be another provider interested, has an absolute right to say you can take all or part of the services or whether in fact the Ministry of Health ... would decide,’’ Duncan said.

‘‘We’ve formally put to IDEA that they need now to confirm, in the event of transfers of any of their services, that all staff will be either offered jobs with the incoming provider or within IDEA.’’

The union was beginning to get a ‘‘steady level of enquiries from staff who are demonstrating not just anxiety for service users, but also anxiety for themselves’’.

IDEA Services need be sensitive to the ‘‘enormous concerns that staff have for the people they support’’.

Ministry of Health disability support services group manager Toni Atkinson said the ministry was working with IDEA Services on transition planning for any affected clients.

‘‘This will include looking at alternative providers and agreeing a timeframe for changes that minimises any disruption to disabled people and their families,’’ Atkinson said.

‘‘Planning for the transition of current services is currently underway.’’ That might include existing providers expanding into new regions in order to ensure continued support options were available.