Fletcher Building is developing health and safety plans to get staff back to work under level 3

Friday, 17 April 2020

The focus will remain on reduced contact when the country moves to alert level three in its fight against coronavirus.

Fletcher Building says its 'developing plans' for working under level 3 restrictions as the country awaits the decision on whether lockdown will lift next week.

A spokeswoman for the country's largest construction company said bringing people back to work would be a 'staged approach'.

'Any business restart will be a gradual process as restrictions are lifted,' she said.

A Fletcher Building worker who would not be named said there had been no communication from the company about which staff could return to work if the country moves from Covid-19 alert level 4 to level 3 and restrictions ease.

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Most of Fletcher Building staff had agreed to a pay cuts under a 12 week pay programme, but the company had previously said if people were able to return to work within those three months, they could receive their normal pay.

However, in the most recent pay run, workers received only the 65 per cent of pay they had agreed to. Those who had opted to top up the remaining 35 per cent with annual leave did not receive it.

The worker said the company's communication with workers was 'atrocious' and it was 'unacceptable some employees haven't been paid correctly this month'.

Fletcher Building is in charge of major projects including the NZ International Convention Centre which was damaged by fire last October.

The Government on Thursday provided greater detail of how New Zealand would come down an alert level, though Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned a decision on whether to come out of the lockdown has not been made.

Under level 3, some people could return to work but most would have to stay at home.

The Fletcher Building spokeswoman said its first focus was to ensure it had 'robust health and safety plans in place' for physical distancing, contact tracing and strict hygiene measures.

'We also want to support our people by giving them as much certainty as we can as business begins to ramp up again.

'But as we are able to bring our people back to their normal hours, they will return to their normal pay rates, even if it is within the 12-week period of our bridging pay programme.'

Amalgamated Workers Union national secretary Maurice Davis said while staff were itching to get back to work, the construction company had been in talks with Site Safe and Construction Health and Safety NZ to ensure workers could safely return to work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

'Fletcher along with all the other construction companies have been working throughout this lockdown to get staff back to work. The industry is ready to ramp up but they're getting their health and safety plan in order,' Davis said.

'We don't know if the lockdown may end or last another two weeks at this stage. Everyone's just waiting for the green light from the Government.

Last month the Government said it would fast-track spending on 'shovel ready' major infrastructure projects as part of nationwide efforts to kickstart the country's economy.

The Fletcher Building spokeswoman said Fletcher Construction had been involved 'in a number of projects which have been put forward to the Infrastructure Industry Reference Group for consideration'.

The business was in charge of a number of multi-million dollar projects including the New Zealand International Convention Centre, damaged by fire last October, and Precinct Properties' Commercial Bay retail and office tower in Auckland.

Fletcher Building reported a profit after-tax of $164m last year.