Psychologist’s 30% Pay Claim Earns 40% Pay Cut

“Wellington Clinical Psychologists are facing 40% pay cuts for undertaking low level industrial action as part of their campaign to gain 30% catch-ups similar to Doctors and Nurses,” said Nadine Marshall, Secretary of the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) today.

She said that Clinical Psychologists employed by the Capital Coast and Hutt Valley District Health Boards had been involved in negotiations for a Multi Employer Collective Agreement for the past nine months.

“After fruitless months of negotiations and lobbying Labour MPs about the need for a 30% catch-up, frustrated Clinical Psychologists have decided not to take on new patients as a form of industrial action to have their issues addressed by the government and DHBs”, said Nadine Marshall. “While this industrial action would result in reduced access to psychological treatment for new clients, Clinical Psychologists intend to continue to work on other tasks that are required of them in their officially recognised Career Pathway Document such as service development and professional development.”

“The 60 plus Wellington Clinical Psychologists had hoped to work with the DHBs to influence the Government to front up with the much needed funding for a 30% catch up in their pay”, said Nadine Marshall. “Instead the Wellington DHBs have escalated the dispute by announcing an attack on their own employees from last Thursday (12 May) which is out of all proportion for already overworked and undervalued Clinical Psychologists”.

“The Boards will dock 40% of weekly pay off each of the Clinical Psychologists undertaking the low level action. This is despite the fact that the 40% figure bears no relationship to the work being performed by Clinical Psychologists,” said Nadine Marshall.

“Clinical Psychologists see the DHB’s decision as unfair and highly provocative,” said Nadine Marshall. “They are attending work and simply undertaking other core clinical psychologist tasks.”

“Our members have called on the DHBs to withdraw this disproportionate pay docking action and to work with Clinical Psychologists to address their just claims for a 30% catch-up,” said Nadine Marshall. “Failure to do so will plainly escalate the dispute further.”

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