Hospital staff join island-wide strike move

NATASHA MARTIN/ The Timaru Herald

PAY PARITY: Timaru Hospital Public Service Association members protest yesterday because they are being paid less than staff doing the same work in North Island hospitals.

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Timaru Hospital administration staff have joined South Island-wide industrial action in an hour-long strike with notice of another strike on Monday.

Disgruntled workers gathered in front of the Timaru Hospital main building on Queen St at 3.30pm yesterday for a protest rally. Passing motorists tooted support.

Timaru has 57 striking members who join more than 800 Public Service Association (PSA) members doing administrative work in South Island public hospitals striking because they are being paid less than staff doing the same work in North Island hospitals.

PSA members will also join Service and Food Workers Union and New Zealand Educational Institute members for the "lift the freeze on low pay rally" to be held on the corner of Strathallan and Stafford streets, between 12.30pm and 1.30pm on Friday, November 27. SFWU Timaru members will also go out on strike for four hours the same day, between 11am and 3pm.

PSA Timaru organiser Jillian Innes said inequity had driven the strike with another planned for Monday. "We have already given notice there will be another strike on Monday for an hour unless we get offered a better deal. It has taken a lot for these people to strike."

PSA assistant national secretary Warwick Jones said it was unacceptable to pay workers less for doing the same work just because they live in the South Island and called on the Government to acknowledge the discrimination and bridge the pay gap.

"The workers going on strike do essential clerical work that enables doctors, nurses, radiologists and other clinical staff in hospitals to focus on treating patients.

These clerical workers are classified as essential workers and as such were required to give two weeks notice of their industrial action.

They've also served notice of further strikes next week unless there are significant steps towards addressing the gap," Mr Jones said.

Clerical staff working for North Island DHBs 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.

Eighty per cent of these South Island health workers are earning less than the $37,500 accommodation allowance the government is prepared to pay cabinet ministers on a base salary of $243,700.

Strikers 'want fairness' - EMMA BAILEY

Gavin Cain has worked at the Timaru Hospital for 20 years and has never been on strike – until yesterday.

He, along with 56 other Public Service Association members and Timaru Hospital administration staff, have had enough of their pay and conditions slipping in comparison to their North Island colleagues and other hospital staff.

"Not getting the same increase as our North lsland colleagues was the straw that broke the camel's back."

Mr Cain is part of the union negotiation team.

"Over the past five years our wages have been eroded, especially in comparison to other areas of the hospital.

"We were expecting to get the same as the North Island administration staff."

Receptionist Maree Mackenzie said the strike was about fairness. "We just want what everyone else in the DHB has had."

Administration staff barely earned above minimum wage.

- © Fairfax NZ News