Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota (SFWU) and New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) joint media release

30 November 2009
For immediate release

Care workers at Presbyterian Support Central likely to take industrial action

The unions representing healthcare assistants, support staff and nurses, employed at 15 Presbyterian Support Central (PSC) sites across the Lower North Island have issued strike notices for industrial action of up to 24 hours on 6/7, 8/9 and 10/11 December.

(Other industrial action may also take place at the 3 PSC rest homes which are not essential services, so strikes can occur in those facilities without the 14 days notice requirements that apply to the 12 PSC hospital facilities.)

The workers, who are members of the Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota (SFWU) and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) say their employer is undervaluing the service and skills of the workforce, and they are insulted by PSC's offer, which includes an offer of just 25 cents an hour for a weekend rate. "This is offensive to PSC staff who know that PSC spent close to $400,000 on agency staff last in the last financial year. Agency staff are strangers to PSC's business yet

PSC is willing to pay them to cover weekend shifts that are hard to fill but will not make the same investment in their own workers", said SFWU Organiser Sam Jones .

The offer leaves PSC workers worse off, again, in comparison to other residential aged care workers who are working at facilities owned by other providers in the region. PSC has consistently held back some of the Government funding year after year where other providers are passing on most if not all of the new funding each year. 156 of 633 care workers employed by PSC have completed 9 years or more service and are on $14.53 /hr. Many of those workers are very skilled and experience and could be paid as much $18/hr at a neighbouring facility. "The members of our two unions are very loyal to PSC and they want that loyalty acknowledged and rewarded by PSC with a fair pay rise" , said Sam Jones.

Of the 900 staff working for PSC, the combined union membership of both unions is over 700.

"Our members play an important role in our communities, caring for our elderly, and they deserve to be paid a fair wage for that. Unfortunately many of them earn as little as $12.97 an hour. ", said Rob Haultain, NZNO Industrial Adviser.

"PSC received a large tax payer funded increase from 1 July, and this was meant to be passed on to our workers. However, instead they have only offered to pass on some of this money, and the majority of members will still only be on $13something an hour".

"Our members do not take industrial action lightly, as their first thought is always about the welfare of the residents. However, they feel that this action is necessary because PSC are refusing to offer fair and reasonable rates of pay, which reflect the value of the work they do.", said Rob Haultain.

"We are going to mediation tomorrow and we hope PSC will do the right thing and put the rest of the money on the table", said Rob Haultain.

Union members have been alarmed and upset to hear that steps have already been taken by their employer to bring in untrained staff to cover during the strike.
SFWU Organiser, Sam Jones said "Our members do not wish to see our elderly receive sub-standard care, and are very concerned at reports that letters have been sent to relatives of residents asking them to come in and carry out caregiving work while our members are on strike.".

"We have concerns that this poses a health and safety risk, and it is also exploiting the love and affection family members have for their elderly relatives in order to get cheap unskilled labour in while our members are on strike. At a time when aged care institutions are hitting the headlines for sub-standard care, getting unqualified people in to care for vulnerable people is not acceptable, and we can only hope these allegations are untrue.", said Sam Jones.

ENDS