One NZ staff protesting work from home policy change

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Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

One NZ call centre workers are protesting proposed working from home policy changes.

The telecommunications company, formerly Vodafone, has planned to introduce a requirement for some contact centre workers to work from the office three times a week, an increase of one day from their previous arrangement.

Unite Union, which represents 115 workers at the company, is advocating against that change and some union members are working from home over the next 11 days in a form of protest.

A worker who wanted to stay anonymous told RNZ they wanted to see the company take serious consideration of the people it was placing expectations on.

The worker mentioned that the changes would have an impact on the environment and travel costs.

“Those travel costs really add up even with that one more day a week, that’s four or five days a month that they then have to foot that additional cost for, just at the expectation of the company.

“I would like them to take a greater understanding to the figurative blood, sweat and tears we all shed for the company. The amount of effort we already put in for the company, not just in doing our jobs but also meeting the office requirements.”

A One NZ spokesperson said the request was in line with other areas across the business and was to ensure its teams were set up to achieve great customer outcomes.

Unite Union national secretary John Crocker told RNZ it was the workers’ right to have their say.

“The company is trying to have them attend the office more often, you know that costs their time, literally their money in terms of parking, gas, could be childcare issues, and the workers don’t think it’s necessary at all.”

Crocker said One NZ told them the protest action would not cause any disruption to its customers.

“So, we’re kind of saying, ‘Well if it’s not going disrupt your customer why is it necessary?’ And the workers don’t think it is.”

He said broadly, they were aware of more companies trying to get people to the office.

“This is probably one of the more direct push backs against that working from the office we are seeing.”