Nurses support Minister’s statement on unions

Nurses support Minister’s statement on health union rights

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) supports Health Minister, Tony Ryall’s statement that he will not reconsider the rights of health unions to take strike action. He has said that laws allowing medical workers to take strike action will neither be reviewed nor changed.

“Health workers never take strike action lightly, and when action is taken they comply with self-imposed obligations under the Health Sector Code of Good Faith to work with service providers to ensure arrangements are in place to provide for patient safety by ensuring that life preserving services are available to prevent a serious threat to life or permanent disability,” says NZNO president Nano Tunnicliff.

“Calls for health unions to be banned from striking are a cynical attempt to undermine worker rights under the guise of concern for patients and are likely to reduce the quality and safety of our health services.”

“NZNO members are committed to providing the best possible care for patients. We take our responsibilities seriously and we would expect the same of our DHB employers. Employers are given 14 days notice of strike action and must also bear a responsibility to plan for patient safety during lawful strike action.”

“Yesterday more than 22,000 workers attended meetings around the country to discuss the erosion of worker rights. Today I urge DHB employers to heed workers’ calls for fairness at work and I congratulate Tony Ryall for standing strong on health unions’ rights.” Nano Tunnicliff said.

ENDS.

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