1 December 2006

No pay offer at Auckland City Council: union members to strike

About 500 members of the Public Service Association employed by Auckland City Council have today decided to take strike action in protest at their employers refusal to make a pay offer.

The PSA has been in bargaining with the Council since April 2006.

“The Council’s refusal to offer a cost-of-living increase is a slap in the face to staff who have worked hard through the year delivering services on behalf of the Council,” said Richard Wagstaff, PSA National Secretary.

“It is simply not good enough that the Council refuses to offer any pay rise in the bargaining for a new collective agreement. Members are angry that the Council refuses to take into account increases in the cost of living that council staff have faced in the last year.”

“Bargaining a fair pay rise is an important role of the union. We will not sit by and let the Council refuse to bargain a fair pay rise for our members.”

The strike will take place on Friday 8th December which coincides with a strike by members of the Southern Local Government Officers Union at Christchurch City Council.

“This strike action at the country’s two largest City Councils should leave all employers in local government in no doubt that local government unions are serious about a fair pay deal.”

The Public Service Association has over 55,000 members in local and central government, health and community services.

The PSA is also considering taking legal action against the Council for refusing to comply with its policies for paying staff.

The PSA are also currently in bargaining with the Wellington City Council and the Southern Local Government Officers Union are in bargaining with the Dunedin City Council.

ENDS

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