Fight on for Southland recycling contract

Monday, 18 March 2019

Southland disAbility Enterprises staff face the prospect of losing their jobs after Wastenet decided to put the region's recycling contract out for tender. Operations manager Kirk Rae, front left, is with about 20 of the 90 staff in November 2018, soon after learning their future job prospects were at risk.

A 'number of tenders' have been received for the Southland wheelie bin recycling contract, currently held by a company which hires 90 people with disabilities.

Southland District Mayor Gary Tong said a number of tenders had been received but he did not know the precise amount.

For the last eight years, Southland disAbility Enterprises has had a contract with Wastenet, which represents the three Southland councils, to recycle the wheelie bin collections in the region.

However, Wastenet decided not to renew the contract, which expires on June 30, and instead put it out to tender.

The decision has angered some people because if the contract goes to another company the workers with disabilities face losing their jobs.

The job at the Invercargill plant enabled the disabled workers to make friends and it gave them a purpose in life, their loved ones said.

Southland disAbility Enterprises has previously stated it would be tendering for the renewal of the contract.

A family member of one of those workers said she was 'obviously worried' when learning several tenders had been received.

Tong said Wastenet would consider the tenders and make a recommendation to the three councils, Invercargill City, Southland District and Gore District, before the final decision was made.

He expected the final decision in three to four weeks.

'We need to keep this moving and get an answer. It's a very important decision. We want to get this right.'

Tong has previously said the only option was to go to tender as the councils were looking at a significant increase in the contract price.

All three councils believed it was too much to accept without going to the market, he said.

Last year, Southland disAbility Enterprises general manager Hamish McMurdo said his biggest concern was for the future of the workers if the contract was not renewed.

They loved going to work each day, they made friends and improved their interpersonal and job skills.

'It would be a devastating loss for these people not to have a job to come to every day.'