New Zealand's largest employer of cleaners is promising no job losses for 3 months. Photo / File
New Zealand's largest employer of cleaners is promising no job losses for 3 months. Photo / File
New Zealand's largest employer of cleaners promises there will be no redundancies in the next three months for its 4000 staff thanks to the Government's Covid-19 wage subsidy.
OCS New Zealand has many of its cleaning staff, including all its essential workers, on full pay in a move made possible by the subsidy.
Its "zero" redundancy commitment includes the cleaners working in various parts of Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, Kawerau and Taupō.
This includes the Lakes District Council, police and the district health board Covid-19 testing stations in Taupō and Rotorua.
OCS also services the Port of Tauranga, including the C3 stevedoring firm and other contract sites working at the port.
Ian West, OCS northern regional general manager, said workers within the cleaning and facilities management industry deliver a broad range of services, many of which are classified as essential services during the lockdown.
"Just under half of our people – 1600 – are classified as essential workers, so they're continuing to work in police stations, medical centres and other essential service providers facilities that remain open," said West.
"The work they're doing keeping our essential spaces clean and hygienic is helping to flatten the curve by preventing community spread of Covid-19.
"However, many of our team normally work in sectors that aren't operating during the level 4 lockdown so, like the majority of New Zealanders, they're doing their bit by staying at home."
West said the company's biggest focus during the crisis was to provide certainty to its 4000 staff across New Zealand.
"The best way to do that is by committing to zero job losses for the next three months – even though our revenue is significantly down.
"Our industry runs on slim margins, and with the significant increase in our cost of sales and reduced revenue, we couldn't have done it without the support of the Government."
West said the company was using the government subsidy to ensure every worker has at least 80 per cent of their normal pay – even if they're unable to go to work right now.
"Every frontline OCS team member still working is getting 100 per cent of their normal pay. That's everyone cleaning hospitals, rest homes, airports and other essential services.
"For those whose normal work doesn't exist during the lockdown, we have decided to support our lowest-paid workers the most.
"If their normal pay is under the $350 (under 20 hours a week) or $585 (20 hours or more) government subsidy we're paying them their normal wage," West said.
"If their normal pay is above $580, we are using a sliding scale with the highest-paid people getting paid 80 per cent and lower-paid people getting closer to 100 per cent.
"We're sharing the government wage subsidy across all our people to help as many lower-wage workers as possible."
West said workers whose jobs were classed as "essential' but who cannot work for health or other reasons would continue to be paid 100 per cent of their wages.
"Our frontline team members are now more important than ever before. At OCS, we often describe cleaners as the 'unsung heroes' for the work they do in hygiene and sanitation and we think it's crucial to give them some certainty at this difficult time."
