Chorus contractor UCG is understood to have sent staff at its Nelson office home earlier this week after threats were made by a technician who previously worked for a subcontracting company. UCG public relations consultant Michelle Boag said the company would not comment about what she said was a police matter. Chorus spokesman Ian Bonnar said it was also "unable to comment at this stage as we understand UCG referred the matter to the police". Chorus is expected to provide an update next week on the progress it has made improving conditions in the subcontracting industry. A report Chorus commissioned from financial services firm MartinJenkins last year concluded that Chorus and contractors Visionstream and UCG had failed to sufficiently protect 1600 mostly-migrant workers hooking up homes to Chorus' UFB network from exploitation by their employers.

Source: Stuff October 04, 2019 01:18 UTC