NUPE Response On Extravagant And Incorrect Claims

Thursday 24 December 2004
MEDIA RELEASE
ATTENTION: INDUSTRIAL/HEALTH REPORTERS
NUPE Response On ‘Extravagant And Incorrect Claims’

''NUPE stands by its claims over cuts to CDHB maintenance and technical staff regarding a proposal for change involving job cuts by 18 February 2005 and denies they are either extravagant or incorrect,'' said Janice Gemmell, Organiser of the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) today.

“Our release stated that up to 26 maintenance and technical staff were told in November that their jobs were to disappear in a centralisation proposal,” said Janice Gemmell. “There were two proposals: one cutting about a dozen jobs and one cutting around 26 jobs. All the Board seems now to be saying is that there will be less than 26 staff losing their jobs. That is little comfort to the staff with jobs identified in the earlier reports.”

“The Board press release says that there was ‘general feedback’ from staff on two issues (i.e. supporting centralisation and room for efficiencies). However the only statements NUPE is aware of from staff that indicate any support for centralisation also state that this will require an increase in staff since there is no room for cuts at Hospital level,” said Janice Gemmell. “Other than that, we can find no support for the Board’s position.”

“NUPE also stands by its claim that ‘the only change seems to be that the CDHB is going to involve local managers in choosing where the cuts are to be made rather than hiring a consultant to do so’,” said Janice Gemmell. “Having sham input into a flawed idea will not turn it into a good idea.”

“Maintenance staff will not be duped into involving themselves in working out who is going to lose their jobs,” said Janice Gemmell. “There is a need for more not less support staff – there are waiting lists for work to be done right now.”

ENDS

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