Disastrous Industrial Relations Strategy

SUNDAY 18 MARCH 2007

“Health Bosses Have Adopted Disastrous Industrial Relations Strategy”

“District health boards have adopted a disastrous industrial relations strategy that could lead to the health system bogged down in industrial strife by the middle of the year and undermining our health system,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“District health boards are in a tight financial position but they have adopted an adversarial, rigid and dogmatic negotiating position which only makes things worse. Last year was riddled with protracted negative industrial tension and strife and with more groups of health staff coming up for negotiations, by the middle of the year virtually the whole DHB workforce is likely to be affected.”

“This strategy will only worsen New Zealand’s vulnerability to serious recruitment and retention risks and leave long-term scars that will undermine the effectiveness of our health system for some time.”

“It is time that cooler heads in the leadership of our health system prevailed and this disastrous strategy abandoned before it is too late.”

“New Zealanders need the DHBs’ industrial relations strategy as much as they need neighbours from hell,” concluded Mr Powell.

ENDS

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