The Greymouth Star reports that three senior managers at Tai Poutini Polytechnic have been made redundant. The jobs losses are the result of phase one of a reorganisation of the polytechnic, which will see the creation of five new positions and the disestablishment of six. Phase two, which focuses on heads of department positions, is likely to see the creation of ten new positions and the disestablishment of fifteen existing positions. Phase three, which has not been initiated yet, will look at programme co-ordinator and administration positions.

The polytechnic is attributing the job losses and restructuring to a drop in government funding. Chief executive Paul Wilson told” The Star that the job losses were a direct result of a $2.5 million cut in funding from next financial year.

“It is a reality we have to face if we want to survive, and it is a way of going forward.” Every other polytechnic was going through the same change, he said.

“We had to make sure we had the best people in the positions, and the same will happen shortly with the next tier of management. My role as chief executive is to get the best people in the right positions for good education delivery.”

TEU organiser Phil Dodds said hat he was hopeful that phase three of reorganisation, which was the one most likely to impact on TEU members, would see a reassignment of roles rather than job losses.