Hercules upgrade team difficult to reassemble, EPMU warns

It will be difficult to reassemble a team of skilled workers to upgrade Air Force Hercules aircraft after Safe Air laid off the 92 workers who were lined up to do the job earlier this year, says EPMU national secretary Andrew Little.

"Recruiting a team of skilled workers won't be easy because the workers are now scattered around the country and overseas", he told Radio New Zealand, responding to news the Government is close to a deal with American company L-3 Communications to revive the upgrade process.

"Safe Air's reputation as an employer has been tainted," he says.

"The Government, Safe Air and possibly the EPMU will have to work out a recruitment strategy if this is going to happen," he says.

Under a proposed deal, the Ministry of Defence says the Government would do structural work on the aircraft, but L-3 would retain technical responsibility for the project, according to Radio New Zealand.

If it goes ahead, the work would be carried out at Safe Air's Woodbourne base. Safe Air is a subsidiary of Air New Zealand.