'Common cents' protest for pay rise

Disability services workers are still pleading for a fair deal but this time from their old picket line comrades.

Late last year the Idea services support workers who contract to IHC campaigned arm and arm to end a wage freeze affecting the group.

Five months on IHC has received the 2 per cent funding increase as a result of the nation-wide protest but frontline workers claim the money has not been passed on to them.

Service and Food Workers Union spokesman John Ryall said the picket lines were organised around the country as fundraisers to show IHC management their staff needed to be respected.

Union delegate Meryl Henry-Schou said their members in Taranaki worked hard for limited pay and not getting the pay rise they helped fight for was not acceptable.

Mr Ryall billed the pickets as "common cents".

"For six months management has not seen any sense despite receiving additional public monies. They persist in refusing to pass these on to the workforce. A wage freeze in the disability support sector is unacceptable and our members see no alternative but to continue taking industrial action until this matter is resolved."

IHC chief executive Ralph Jones said the Government had given IHC only a 1.2 per cent increase and had also increased other costs.

"The Government has given with one hand but taken it away with the other.

"They have given IHC an increase of only 1.2 per cent this year, yet they are imposing cost increases in excess of this for Kiwisaver and ACC payments."

Mr Jones said the additional funding from the Ministry of Health was insufficient to cover additional costs let alone other expense increases in providing services such as food, petrol and electricity. However, Mr Ryall said their workers had been affected by the same costs yet they had not received the promised pay increase.

Mr Jones said the union was out of step with most New Zealand workers who were feeling the effects of the tough economic climate. "Their industrial action is failing to reach an accord with many union members who understand the situation and simply want to hold onto their jobs. We are very grateful for their support and co-operation."

Union members picketed across 21 locations asking for members of the public to contribute 10 cents so that IHC management saw sense.

Mr Jones said it was business as usual for its community services during the industrial action.

- © Fairfax NZ News