Hospital contractors issue lockout notices

Attention Health and Industrial Reporters - For Immediate Use

A threatened lockout of cleaners, orderlies and kitchen staff by three out of four contract companies is being condemned by the Service and Food Workers Union as bully boy tactics and flying in the face of New Zealand's justice system.

Multinational firm ISS has issued seven days of lockout notices effective 31 May while two other contractors, Compass and OCS issued lockout notices for just one day, 31 May.

The notices demand staff withdraw a claim for a national multi employer collective agreement (MECA) which the union is seeking for all District Health Board orderlies, kitchen and cleaning staff.

SFWU Bargaining Co-ordinator Alastair Duncan says the lockout threat affects around a quarter of the 2800 union members employed in public hospitals.

"The issue of whether the contractors should or should not be part of a MECA with the union and the District Health Boards is currently a matter of judicial proceedings.

"Last month the full bench of the Employment Court sat to consider this very issue. The decision is pending. The lockout represents a direct attack on the workforce and a slap in the face to the judicial system. These lockout notices show scant regard for due process and the New Zealand legal system."

Alastair Duncan says the lockout targets the lowest paid workers in the public sector and smack of bully boy tactics and discrimination.

"No-one threatens to lockout Doctors or Nurses. But low paid service workers appear to be fair game."

Alastair Duncan says the District Health Boards have recently agreed to support the MECA principle and as clients of the DHB the contractors are now at odds with their own paymasters.

"The contractors are flying in the face of government and now DHB policy. It's a case of the tail wanting to wag the dog."

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