ICC Worker Wages Slashed In Half

Invercargill City Council workers who are not able to return to work at Alert Level 3 will have their wages cut in half, according to an ICC Staff Update newsletter.

On April 22, ICC chief executive Clare Hadley announced that pay cuts would commence after April 28, with April 27 a statutory holiday. Anyone who could not return to work, such as pool and library workers, would have their income reduced.

They could then choose to make up the difference with their annual leave and up to one week of a negative annual leave balance.

The decision came on the back of tighter cash flows anticipated in the coming months.

listen to the interview on midday report on Radio NZ below

“We anticipate that this time next year, our cash flows will be tighter as our community struggles to pay its rates bills. This is not someone else’s money – it’s yours because you are the community too. Roughly 25% of our operating expenditure is employee costs,” Clare says.

The Public Service Association says the lowest paid council staff predominantly work in pools and libraries and can’t afford to have their pay halved.