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PSA concerned MSD cutting jobs when unemployment rising

30/06/2009 3:21:29 p.m.

The Public Service Association is concerned that the Ministry of Social Development is cutting up to 200 jobs due to a cut in government funding, at a time when unemployment is rapidly rising.

The government cut the Ministry of Social Development’s baseline funding by $3 million in the Budget.

In May the Ministry announced restructuring that would cut up to 200 jobs. Affected Ministry staff were told yesterday of the final decisions on the restructuring plan.
  
The Ministry has confirmed that under the restructuring 12 Child Youth and Family’s service centres are being closed. These are in Whangarei, Tauranga, Hamilton, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Grey Lynn and Manukau in Auckland.

The Ministry is also closing one of its four units that collect debts owed by beneficiaries. These involve grants beneficiaries are required to pay back and benefit overpayments due to fraud or an error by the Ministry or the beneficiary. The Lower Hutt collection unit is being closed, leaving three units in Auckland, Hamilton, and Christchurch.  

“These closures and other restructuring across the whole of the Ministry of Social Development will result in redundancies but we don’t know how many at this stage,” says Brenda Pilott.

”That’s because the PSA negotiated a change management process with the ministry that aims to maximise the number of staff who’re redeployed.”           

“We welcome the chief executive’s commitment to maximising redeployment and will be working with the Ministry to make that happen.”

“The Ministry has been put in a difficult position by the government cutting its baseline funding and we’re pleased it has listened to a number of submissions made by staff on the restructuring.”
 
“We’re particularly pleased it has listened to staff submissions about planned changes around children and young people in the care and protection of Child Youth and Family.”

“We also acknowledge that the Ministry is moving to increase the number of social workers at CYF and case managers at Work and Income.”

“But we’re concerned that this is being done by cutting jobs that provide vital support for these front-line positions.”

“And we’re alarmed that up to 200 jobs are being cut because the government has cut the Ministry’s funding despite unemployment increasing because of the recession,” says Brenda Pilott.

Among the jobs being cut is the position of community liaison social worker, a role that involves working in the community to prevent child abuse. Social workers doing this job are to be redeployed.

Community liaison social workers visit schools, early childhood education centres and other agencies working with children and young people. Their job is to raise awareness about child abuse, its signs and symptoms, to help promote early detection and intervention.

“Community liaison social workers are on the front-line educating teachers and others working with children on how to detect signs of child abuse,” says Brenda Pilott.

“This enables CYF to get early warnings of suspected child abuse so it can investigate and if necessary intervene to protect children.”

“We’re worried that cutting this specialised position and redeploying the social workers doing this job will weaken efforts to prevent child abuse.”

“Our overarching concern is that jobs are being cut at the Ministry of Social Development at a time when 1100 people a week are signing up for the unemployment benefit.”

“Why is the government increasing the length of the dole queue when it’s supposed to be committed to keeping New Zealanders in work?” says Brenda Pilott.

Media contact Nick Hirst 027 600-5498. PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott 027 430-6016

Public Service Association