Union gobsmacked at hospital bosses’ pay hikes

Service and Food Workers Union Media Release

16 January 2015

Union gobsmacked at hospital bosses’ pay hikes

The union representing cooks, cleaners, security staff and orderlies in district health board hospitals is shocked to hear reports of massive pay hikes for DHB CEOs today.

A State Services Commission report has revealed that CEOs in DHBs around the country had pay increases of up to 45% in the last financial year.

“Frankly, we are gobsmacked,” said SFWU National Secretary John Ryall.

“Our members are on poverty wages because DHBs constantly say they are broke. Our members provide vital services, ensuring patients are in clean, safe environments and well fed, but they are paid pitiful rates of pay. They will be angry and shocked to hear there are millions of dollars for pay rises for the top bosses.”

John Ryall said it was ironic that this had occurred at the very time that the Government had supported a plan to outsource food services, claiming it was necessary to slash hospital budgets.

“It seems everybody except the highest paid is required to make sacrifices, including the general public,” he said.

© Scoop Media