Scrooge hospital bosses 'force' out lowest paid

Scrooge hospital bosses 'force' lowest paid staff out the door

Public Hospital Service Workers are taking strike action tomorrow because District Health Boards (DHB's) and their contractors are refusing to negotiate a single National Collective Employment Agreement (MECA).

To add insult to injury the employers are claiming service workers are unskilled and should be paid local labour market rates which they currently assess as being at or just above the minimum wage of $10.25

The Service & Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota (SFWU) believes Service Workers are skilled and perform very important and necessary functions in our Hospitals. They are valued and recognised by patients and their families and all they are asking for is to be treated fairly and consistently by their employers.

"The only way for the DHB's to address the chronic low pay of support workers in the sector, and to negotiate in good faith, is to negotiate a MECA" said Shane Vugler.

To date employers have negotiated 44 separately Collective Agreements for these staff and have contracted out the work to drive down wages to the lowest legal level.

"These tactics from the DHB's deny our members a decent living wage and can't be justified" said Mr Vugler.

"They appear determined to keep these workers and their families on subsistence wages - just like modern-day scrooges.

ENDS

© Scoop Media