ACC staff in industrial action

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Unionised staff at the ACC have today started industrial action over pay and conditions.

Stuff learned of the action in a leaked Public Service Association (PSA) newsletter sent to members today.

ACC acting General Manager of Corporate Services Katie Sadleir confirmed the PSA had today begun industrial action at ACC sites, involving 'work to rule' and taking 'shared breaks'.

"The PSA is seeking wage rises and enhanced redundancy provisions that ACC simply cannot afford and which are beyond the expectations set by Ministers for restraint in the public sector," Sadleir said.

The leaked newsletter says today's industrial actions is "day one" of an industrial campaign.

"It is your right to engage in lawful industrial action and we will seek to ensure that you feel safe to participate," the newsletter to members says.

It recommends staff taking shared breaks and working to rule.

Work to rule meant working strictly according to the terms of their employment contract. It could include refusing to do any extra tasks or unpaid overtime, causing production to slow down.

Taking shared breaks would also cause production to slow down, with ACC PSA members taking morning, afternoon tea and lunch breaks at the same time.

In a letter to the ACC Head of Human Resources, a PSA organiser Melinda Derbidge said the union was concerned about reports from members that they were being "unlawfully threatened" by managers over their participation in the action.

Sadleir said ACC had explored a range of options with the PSA over collective agreement negotiations and went in to mediation with them, but these measures had not been sufficient.

ACC did not, at this stage, expect the PSA action would impact client service, Sadleir said.