A major union for rail and maritime workers says more than 30 people are to lose their jobs at the end of the month at transport company Toll New Zealand.
File photo. Photo: 123rf.com
The Rail and Maritime Transport Union says 18 jobs are to go in Auckland, 10 in Christchurch with the rest spread throughout New Zealand.
The jobs are in depots unloading and managing freight, and in administration.
The union said the company expected there to be a slump in demand for freight due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but said it is too soon to tell.
It said it was short sighted given the government's more than $500m investment in rail in Budget 2020, and the company needed to extend the consultation period about the cuts.
In a statement a Toll spokesperson said the company was adjusting its operations in response to reduced volumes across the network due to the economic impact of Covid-19.
"The proposed changes will see a reduction in some roles across our network, including jobs previously vacated and left unfilled, in back office functions and operations," the statement said.
It said it was a difficult decision which had not been taken lightly and Toll would do everything it could to support staff through the changes.