ELE Group collapse: Immigration NZ seeks contact with fired workers

Left to right: Mikee Santos, Dennis Maga and Robert Reid of First Union at Thursday night's meeting, taking to members online. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Immigration New Zealand wants to hear from all workers laid off on Wednesday from collapsed recruitment hiring specialist ELE which had 1000+ people on 10 sites nationally.

The Government agency has just released a statement calling for those affected to email AEWVworkerresponse@mbie.govt.nz

And it indicated it will try to stop the fired workers being forced to leave New Zealand.

“Immigration New Zealand is aware of a large skilled labour hire agency in the construction and manufacturing sector that has gone into receivership, ELE Limited, who have employees on Accredited Employer Work Visas,” a statement said.

Those visas give workers the right to remain in this country while they are working.

Mikee Santos, Union Network of Migrants’ co-ordinator, said around 750 of the 1000-plus workers are Filipino and some feared they would be forced out of the country. Workers’ situations in relation to their visa change if they are no longer employed.

Immigration NZ said today: “We appreciate that this situation will be very difficult news for these employees as we enter the holiday period. As at December 22, we have identified 255 migrant workers linked to ELE Limited, mostly made up of builders labourers and carpenters.”

ELE was a labour hire and recruitment business, now in receivership with Deloitte as its managers.

The Government agency also indicated it was in contact with those close to the collapse. That could mean it is talking to receivers at Deloitte who are now managing the business founded by Brent Mulholland. But they didn’t name Deloitte directly.

“We are working closely with the employer, the employees, and other interested parties to ensure these workers can remain in New Zealand lawfully, and explore options for those who are still offshore. We have set up a dedicated email address for those impacted by this situation to discuss their options,” the statement said.

“Due to the developing nature of this situation, we are unable to confirm any additional details at this stage, but addressing this situation and providing a timely outcome is a number one priority for us,” Immigration NZ said.

Deloitte, receivers for ELE, said on Wednesday more than 1000 jobs were affected on 10 building sites throughout New Zealand.

Meanwhile, First Union has started receiving donations from the community and organising a Christmas food bank for the affected workers and families at 120 Church St, Onehunga.

Santos this afternoon was compiling a list of registered organisations for people wishing to donate to the workers online or by some other means.

Carpenter Guillermo Fabello at the First Union meeting for those laid off from recruitment business ELE. He is pictured here at the December 21 gathering. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Among the hundreds of workers laid off in the ELE collapse is carpenter Guillermo Fabello, who arrived in New Zealand about seven years ago.

His wife and three children arrived in the country about eight months ago.

Now he’s out of work just before Christmas.

“My work from last week until now is not paid,” he told the Herald this morning.

Today it was reported that ELE asked some staff to take pay cuts or redundancy just before receivers were appointed.

“Some of them were really scared because they feared losing their jobs and maybe being unable to stay in New Zealand,” said Dennis Maga, general secretary of First Union whose members are some of the workers impacted.

Some hire workers, earning $35/hour, were asked if they agreed to taking $32/hour or face redundancy, he said.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 23 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.