Vote to merge entities
A LOOMING vote to merge two southern business advocacy groups could make the proposal all but a done deal.
The Otago Chamber of Commerce and Otago Southland Employers’ Association are asking members if they support a merger proposal in what is the organisations’ fourth attempt at amalgamation.
The employers’ association voted unanimously in support of the proposal last week.
Tomorrow Otago chamber members will have a special general meeting (SGM) to vote on the proposal.
If they vote yes the two organisations will confirm their positions at second SGMs in about three weeks.
Employers association president Andrew Leys said there was ‘‘robust questioning’’ from members for about 30 minutes before the vote last week.
Members’ biggest concerns were about how the new entity would work alongside the Southland Chamber of Commerce — because the association covers members in the Southland area.
‘‘I was . . . able to assure them as a past president of the Southland Chamber of Commerce there’s no way I would be involved in anything that was going to be detrimental to their future.’’
It was more of an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the association and the Southland chamber.
The planned new entity, Business South, will have only one chief executive, so either chamber chief executive Dougal McGowan or employers association chief executive Virginia Nicholls will lose their job.
The two organisations will merge and operate as one before being ‘‘consolidated in a considered and measured way’’, the merger documents stated.
‘‘We’ve said to staff that . . . they will come across a new organisation,’’ Otago chamber president Grant McKenzie said.
‘‘The CEO role is a role that we’re going to have to look at and there will be a process for that.’’
Mr Leys said no job cuts were planned — other than one of the chief executive positions.
‘‘We think the new CE needs to be appointed and actually review the operations and advise the board around what’s appropriate.’’
Both organisations had been conservative in the past nine months and some vacancies had not been filled, he said.
Mr McKenzie said about 25% of businesses with membership at the chamber were also members of the association.
‘‘When you bring them together it gives a better offering for the membership,’’ he said.
In advocacy they worked together too: the chamber worked at a local government level while the employers association ‘‘has a great connection into Wellington’’ and central government.
‘‘It’s a great opportunity for the members to actually get better services and better value for money for their investment.’’