March 5, 2009

Joint Media Release

Govt continues to put TVNZ jobs at risk 

The National Government’s decision to take a dividend from TVNZ needlessly risks the livelihoods of the broadcaster’s workers, say the Public Service Association and the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.
The decision comes despite the fact that last month TVNZ revealed that due to the recession advertising revenues were 10 percent below budget, which represents an annualised shortfall of income of $30m. Staff cuts have not been ruled out.

Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman has repeated Prime Minister John Key's position that he is still expecting TVNZ to pay the government a dividend.

“Jobs at TVNZ are definitely on the line but the government is showing no sympathy and continues to demand a dividend,” says PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff.   

“John Key talks about bailing out the private sector to save jobs but won’t lift a finger to save jobs at TVNZ.

“It appears that workers in the public sector are expendable and the government is quite prepared to see productive public sector workers consigned to the dole queue.”    

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says the government’s actions don’t make business sense.

“It’s irrational for any shareholder to demand a business-as-usual dividend from a company that has been hit hard by recession, let alone a government shareholder that has been claiming it wants to save jobs.

“The minister needs to explain why the government’s efforts to keep Kiwis in work don’t extend to the Kiwis that work for TVNZ.”

Staff at TVNZ have been told the crown owned company needs to cut its costs by $25 million.

TVNZ paid a $10.3 million dividend to the government in the last financial year that ended on June 30, 2008. 

The PSA and EPMU represent 100,000 working New Zealanders including more than 200 frontline TVNZ staff.

ENDS

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