Staff begin strike action to push pay claim

Nelson Marlborough District Health Board administration workers went on strike yesterday in a bid to draw attention to the fact that most are paid less than their North Island counterparts.

The one-hour strike from 3.30pm involved more than 800 administration and clerical staff who are Public Service Association (PSA) members working for the South Island's six district health boards.

Waving red flags and holding letters to spell out the words "Value clerical pay fair", the workers stood near Nelson Hospital's main entrance.

Due to the essential nature of their jobs, they had to give two weeks' notice of the strike.

PSA organiser Mike Cunliffe said the strike was just the start of industrial action, and the workers would strike again on Monday morning on the Waimea Rd side of the hospital from 8.30am.

Mr Cunliffe said North Island clerical workers had received an 11.5 per cent pay rise over three years and "these guys want the same". The workers carry out a range of administration and clerical jobs across several departments at the hospital.

A nurse walking past told The Nelson Mail she supported the striking workers because they did a great job.

Nelson-based Labour List MP Maryan Street also turned up to the strike. She said she knew the great and critical job the workers did. She had worked at health boards before becoming an MP.

PSA assistant national secretary Warwick Jones said the workers performed essential clerical work that enabled doctors, nurses, radiologists and other clinical staff to focus on treating patients.

Clerical staff working for North Island boards have a bottom pay rate of $30,500 while their South Island colleagues' pay starts at $27,641 – just 78 cents an hour above the minimum wage.

"It's unacceptable to pay workers less for doing the same work just because they live in the South Island," Mr Jones said.

Eighty per cent of the South Island workers were earning less than the $37,500 accommodation allowance the Government was prepared to pay cabinet ministers, he said.

A Nelson Hospital spokeswoman said the hospital had contingency plans in place for yesterday's strike, so minimal inconvenience was caused.