Susan Wood's future with TVNZ in doubt

Susan Wood with her fiance Kevin Stanley at her employment court hearing. Picture / Nigel Marple

She may have won her personal grievance case, but Close Up presenter Susan Wood's future at TVNZ looks uncertain as her lawyer meets with the state broadcaster's representatives this morning.

The Employment Relations Authority ruled yesterday that Wood was a permanent employee, barring the state broadcaster from cutting $100,000 from her $450,000 annual pay packet "without her consent".

Her present salary of $450,000 will expire on December 31 and a new salary must be negotiated between the parties.

Her lawyer, Mai Chen, said today Wood was sent home when she turned up to work shortly before midday yesterday.

Ms Chen said deputy news boss Steve Rowe told Wood she should not do the show on the day the ruling was coming out.

"She made it clear to him that she could do the show and he would have to direct her not to do it," Ms Chen told National Radio.

He did so and she left and called her lawyer.

"She was obviously upset about it, and said to me 'What does this mean? They're sending me home'.

"I told her to sit tight."

Ms Chen said she was hopeful of "restoring the relationship".

Whether Wood wanted to keep her job completely depended on TVNZ's attitude toward her, she continued.

Ms Chen was to meet with TVNZ lawyers and TVNZ bosses this today to hammer out a resolution.

She said she would be asking for an internal investigation into who was responsible for various "rumours and innuendoes".

Sunday newspapers had quoted "senior sources" as saying Wood's career was "over".

TVNZ was a crown entity and, as such, had "special obligations" under the Crown Entities Act to be a good employer and act "in good faith".

She said Wood and her legal team had tried to resolve the issue without going through the court and believed it was in TVNZ's best interests to do so, particularly after the debacle over news presenter Judy Bailey's salary.

"Every lawyer worth their salt knows that litigation is a last resort."

She said it was clear that Wood was a permanent employee and her contract could not be changed without her consent.

The size of the salary not one of legal issues at stake, she said.

"The law applies equally to all: it applies to the prime minister, to television presenters and to janitors, and that is you have a right to be treated fairly and lawfully."

Wood and her lawyer had been told that the board had set a cap of $350,000 -- but this turned out to be "misleading", Ms Chen said.

However, she said she was "hopeful" of restoring the relationship.

"The most important thing for me to ascertain is what is the attitude of TVNZ, because at the end of the day, how she feels about her job and wanting to stay depends on how they feel about her."

- NZPA