Business as usual during strike

Media release
26 November 2009

Business as usual during strike

Members of the Service and Food Workers Union have notified IHC that they will be striking on Friday 27 November from 11.30am to 8.30pm. The industrial action is in protest at IHC’s wage restraint for staff this year. The restraint also applies to IHC management.

“IHC has received from government an overall funding increase of only 1.2 percent this year. This is insufficient to cover proposed increases to ACC levies, let alone the rise in other costs such as Kiwisaver, electricity and food,” says IHC chief executive Ralph Jones.

“We simply do not have the means to offer staff a wage increase. IHC isn’t alone in being forced to keep wages at current levels. This is a sector-wide problem and the recession is having a direct impact on workers. Despite IHC working with the Service and Food Workers Union to underline the low wage rates of workers relative to other similar sectors, successive Governments have failed to address the issue”, Mr Jones said.

Mr Jones stressed that the priority was to maintain jobs for IHC workers and to avoid the need to restructure and make people redundant.

IHC and its service delivery arm, IDEA Services, will continue with business as usual on Friday, and the strike will have a minimal impact on services.

ENDS

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