Hospital Strikes Requires Govt Funding

Friday 5 August 2005

Hospital Strikes Requires Govt Funding

“NUPE members working for the Canterbury, Nelson Marlborough and Wellington District Health Boards (DHBs) have been asked to support the one day nationwide strike by health workers on Monday 15 August,” said Nadine Marshall, Secretary of the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE).

Nadine Marshall said that NUPE members have been informed that the Public Service Association has issued DHBs with a notice of one day strike action beginning at 7am on 15 August. “Members are contacting the Union to ask what is their position if under contingency planning procedures they are asked to ensure life preserving cover or otherwise cover for the striking workers.”

“The Public Service Association covers health workers in Mental Health nursing, Allied Health and Clerical areas. NUPE supports significant increases in pay for all these groups and is instructing members that the law entitles them to support the strike by not undertaking tasks that the PSA members are refusing to do.”

“NUPE members in the CDHB are seeking a 30% catch-up just as nurses and doctors have received. They have voted for a five day strike which will commence after the 15th August. They will expect the same support from their PSA colleagues,” said Nadine Marshall.

“Clerical and Administration staff in health who deal with clinical records and waiting lists for X rays and clinics, are often below the poverty line,” said Nadine Marshall. “The Government needs to recognise their responsibility for the low pay in the health sector and step in to prevent ongoing disruption to services instead of continuing to wash their hands of their responsibility to all health workers following their decision to fund a catch up in nurses’ pay.”

ENDS

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