KEY POINTS:
The time period for consultation over proposed cuts to 58 news and current affairs jobs at TVNZ has been extended a week.
The broadcaster had said the final day for consultation o ver the job losses would be today.
TVNZ spokesman Peter Parussini said the consultation period had been extended to allow the unions and TVNZ to go into mediation.
The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) and Public Service Association (PSA) said today their members had been poorly treated by their employer in terms of consultation and the union had won the extension.
EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said that during the restructuring proposal period TVNZ had shown scant regard for the opinions of its staff and their unions.
But Mr Parussini said unions had asked the company to stall its "organisational design" process, which was due to be completed by the end of June.
"The unions want to see the design of the whole organisation, layer by layer, first before any role is confirmed or people appointed to them."
He said the company thought the delay unreasonable, considering staff had indicated they wanted certainty in their lives and to move on with things.
Mr Little said the union would consider taking legal action over alleged process failures if nothing positive came out of mediation.
- NZPA
