MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 19 AUGUST 2005
PSA Should Come Clean
PSA Mental Health nurses are gambling with the safety of mental health patients because they want a better deal than
other nurses doing the same type of work!
The PSA has issued notice of strike action by its 3500 Mental Health nurses for 24 hours on Monday 22 August in support
of its pay claim. The action will impact services in many parts of the country where the PSA has wide coverage.*
District Health Boards spokesperson and Tairawhiti CEO Jim Green says the PSAs public claims are wrong and it needs to
come clean with the real reason for the strike.
“To say they’re striking for the same rates as other nurses is misleading – we’ve offered them exactly the same deal as
other nurses, but they want more. The difference is that the PSA wants automatic progression to the top pay rates for
community nurses – DHBs have said yes to the pay rates, but want the last few steps to be based on skills and merit.
“We’re not suggesting anything new or different,” says Mr Green, “it’s how we pay other nurses and during these very
talks the PSA accepted this very system for two other health groups.
“The sticking point is mental health nurses working in the community outside hospitals. The PSA argues that the job of
their members is in some way more important or harder than thousands of other nurses working in the same way. Not only
is that unfair, but it’s simply not true.”
“The other sticking point is penal rates – we’re proposing the same penal rates as other nurses get, but the PSA wants
to keep penal rates that are better. You can’t say you want national consistency but take it only when it suits.
“Patient safety is always our primary concern and DHBs are using the provisions of the Employment Relations Act to
ensure that patient safety is maintained,” says Mr Green
ENDS
*The Areas most affected by the notice will be PSA Mental and Public Health nurses in Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Whanganui,
Wellington, Nelson, West Coast and Canterbury – In Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau, the action only involves
Mental Health nurses NOT public health nurses.
BREAKDOWN OF THE DHB OFFER
NZNO PSA Claim (as amended @ 4/7/05) DHB Offer (as @ 18/8/05)
Step 5 54,000 54,000 54,000
Step 4 48,600 48,764 48,600
Step 3 46,000 46,249 46,000
Step 2 43,300 43,436 43,300
Step 1 40,000 40,000 40,000
Community MH & Public Health Nurses
NZNO (still under negotiation) PSA Claim (as amended @ 4/7/05) DHB Offer (as @ 18/8/05)
Step 6 PSA offer is virtually the same as the offer to NZNO 61,472 60,770 incl. PDRP OR by achievement of agreed
criteria
Step 5 59,636 59,270 incl. PDRP OR by achievement of agreed criteria
Step 4 56,304 56,770 plus PDRP (of either $2500 or $4000)
Step 3 54,000 54,000
Step 2 51,665 51,665
Step 1 48,764 48,600
PDRP: Professional Development & Recognition Programmes
These are effectively payments for additional skills training and personal development programmes.
EXISTING OCCUPATIOPNAL GROUPS
Allied
Alcohol and Drug Workers
Audiologists
Dental Therapists/Assistants
Counsellors
Dieticians/Assistants
Family Therapists
Health Promotion Advisors
Health Protection Officers
(Hospital) Play Specialists
Instructors
Pharmacists
Pharmacy assistants
Physiotherapists/Assistants
(Maori/ Pacific) Mental Health Workers
Ots/Assistants/Instructors
Psychologists
Recreation Officers
Social Workers
Speech Language Therapists
Needs Assessors
Psychotherapists
Podiatrists
Visiting Neurodevelopmental Therapists
Child Therapists
Snr Allied Health Clinicians (PA)
Technical
Anaesthetic Technicians
Audiometrists
Biomedical Technicians
Sterile Supply Technicians/Officers
Clinical Perfusionists
Cardiac Technicians
Dental Technicians
Electrical Technicians
Food Supervisors
Lab Technologists/Technicians
Medical Photographers
Orthotists/Productionists
Phlebotomists
Respiratory Technicians
Vision Hearing Testers
Renal Dialysis Technicians
Clinical Engineering Officers
ECG Technicians
Neurophysiology/Physiology Techs
Sleep Technologists/Scientists
Scientific Officers
Senior Technical Positions
Managers
Managers up to tier 4, who are not senior clinicians
Nursing
Mental Health RNs - Inpatient
Mental Health RNs - Community
Mental Health ENs
Crisis MH (DAO)
Mental Health Nurse (out patient)
Community Mental Health Workers
HCAs/Psych Assistants
Crisis Mental Health Nurses
Public Health Nurses
Senior Nurses