New Indistrial Law Welcomed; Benefit Health System
ATTENTION: HEALTH REPORTER NO. OF PAGES: 2
MEDIA
STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL
2000
"NEW INDUSTRIAL LAW WELCOMED; BENEFIT HEALTH SYSTEM"
"The new industrial law proposed by the
Labour-Alliance government is welcome and should benefit the
health system," said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of
the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr
Powell was commenting on the Employment Relations Bill. The
Association is the union representing salaried senior
doctors most of who are employed in public
hospitals.
"The National Executive has voted unanimously
to support the new law in principle. We are especially
supportive of the move to underpin employment relationships
with good faith obligations, the promotion of collective
negotiations so that employees have an equal playing field
with employers, and the positive recognition of unions as
the collective voice of employees."
"Some may consider it
ironical that a union that has made important gains and
improved its membership under the Employment Contracts Act
of the former National government should support this new
law. However, the fact that we have made gains highlights
the unfairness of the Employment Contracts Act. Senior
doctors are highly trained professionals possessing skills
that are in short supply, both in New Zealand and
internationally. But most employees are not in this unique
situation and therefore are very vulnerable under the biased
Employment Contracts Act."
"The Employment Contracts Act
is negative short-sighted industrial law. Along with the
ill-fated attempt by the former National government to
commercialise public hospitals, it has encouraged a
destructive adversarial climate between managers and health
professionals. At times public hospitals feel more like war
zones than caring institutions looking after patients. This
has helped to undermine the cooperation essential to
providing quality health care for patients."
"Although we
support the principles and general direction of the Bill we
do have some concerns over specific details. We will seek
to have these resolved through our submission to
Parliament," concluded Mr Powell.
Ian
Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
For further information
please contact:
04 499.1271 work 021 445.521 cellphone
04 292.8214
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