NZ Post is set to cut 750 jobs over the next five years from its workforce as mail volume continues to decline. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
The postal workers union will begin talks with NZ Post this week to try to save the jobs of hundreds of posties.
Last year, the postal service announced it would cut 750 mail delivery roles in the next five years.
Union president John Maynard said the company has since confirmed that means there will be no posties employed by NZ Post after that deadline.
He said the service wants all delivery workers - parcels and mail - to be contractors, which leaves staff in a very vulnerable position.
"What the company intends to do is to give all the mail to the contract couriers who are delivering parcels. They're all contractors, the company doesn't want to make them employees. They don't get annual leave. I've spoken to contractors who haven't had a holiday for three years".
Maynard said consultation begins on Thursday and there was a lot to get through.
He is disappointed NZ Post went public with the cuts before consulting staff and also did not clarify that all workers would be replaced by contractors.
"We're happy to talk to the company about what the future might be but not in a manner in which they make a public announcement, which sort of effectively chops the legs out from under the posties. It had posties being asked in the street, 'oh so when are you losing your job'."
NZ Post refused to comment about the upcoming talks with the workers' union.