PSA MEDIA RELEASE

12th July 2012 - For Immediate Use

Industrial Research staff left in limbo

The future of more than 360 people working at an existing Crown Research Institute remains up in the air following the government’s announcement of the structure of the new Advanced Technology Institute.

The government is establishing the Advanced Technology Institute out of Industrial Research Limited, saying it will provide a high tech agency to support innovative New Zealand businesses.

The PSA says the transition means a lot of uncertainty for staff and the long-term viability of the role of Industrial Research is not clear.

“Staff are still none the wiser about how they will fit into the new organisation, what their role will be and whether the work they do will be valued in this new environment,” says PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff.

“The Advanced Technology Institute has been signalled for quite some time yet Industrial Research Limited appears to have been left out of the loop and still no one seems to be able to give staff any firm answers about their future.”

Richard Wagstaff says it’s also difficult to believe the government’s claims that the establishment of ATI won’t drive work away from other commercialisation units at universities and other CRIs, which many businesses currently use for scientific support and advice.

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