Wayne Mapp MP
National Party Industrial Relations Spokesman

15 November 2006

Time for ministers to act on health strikes

National’s Industrial Relations spokesman, Wayne Mapp, wants Government ministers to do something about the continuing industrial disruption in the health sector instead of just sitting on their hands.

Dr Mapp says medical staff in public hospitals should not be able to have strikes of unlimited duration.

“A 28-day strike is simply unreasonable. The ministers of labour and health have simply sat on their hands while the health sector is increasingly paralysed by strikes, and have completely ignored Canterbury DHBs plea for action.

“It has been estimated that the current radiographers strike alone will cost up to $8 million.

“This is just the latest in a long line of industrial disputes since Labour made changes to the Employment Relations Act in 2004. Those changes have had a multimillion-dollar impact on the economy.

"And it's certainly not good enough that lives are now being put at risk.

"But neither Labour nor the union leaders have any concern for the impact of such industrial action on families in need of medical care.

"Labour’s union-centric employment legislation has made it much more difficult to do business and access essential services.”

ENDS

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