Workers vote for One National Collective Agreement

03 05 06

Hospital service workers vote for ONE National Collective Agreement

While workers celebrated International Workers’ Day on Monday, public hospital cleaners, kitchen workers, orderlies and other service workers showed their commitment to a better future by voting overwhelmingly to support one national collective agreement between their union and the 21 DHBs, as well as a contract companies who operate in public health.

"A 97% vote in favour by our members is a huge endorsement for change and it shows how strongly public hospital service workers feel about getting fair pay and respect for the essential role they play in the hospital" said John Ryall, SFWU Nga Ringa Tota National Secretary.

Since March the Healthy Pay for Healthy Hospitals campaign has seen workers organise around the country in preparation for bargaining a single national collective agreement.

"Some of our members are paid minimum wage or just above, that is just not good enough in the public sector.”

“Support for our Healthy Pay for Healthy Hospitals campaign and the outcome of this ballot show that SFWU Nga Ringa Tota members will not stand for this, we want a fair deal and a living wage."

"All hospital service workers want recognition for the essential work they do, they want a consistent approach from the DHBs and contract companies who employ them, and they want ONE national agreement to ensure fairness and equity." said Mr Ryall.

ENDS

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