Brackenridge Staff Return to Work – What Next?

MEDIA RELEASE: SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2008
ATTENTION: INDUSTRIAL AND HEALTH REPORTERS

Brackenridge Staff Return to Work – What Next?

“Carers at Brackenridge Estate met at 6.30am and returned to work at 7am this morning believing they have sent a strong message to their management and the Ministry of Health about the need to urgently find extra funding to settle their Collective Agreement,” said Janice Gemmell, on behalf of the 140 NUPE and NZNO members who have been on strike Friday and Saturday.

“Members believe that their two day strike action allowed a well overdue media light to be shone on the underfunded and often forgotten Intellectual Disability sector,” said Janice Gemmell. “Workers in the health care sector only take such action affecting vulnerable residents as an absolute last resort.”

The Unions will meet at 3.30pm Monday 14th January to prepare a letter to Brackenridge and the Ministry of Health outlining where to from here.

“The ball is now firmly in the court of the Ministry of Health and Brackenridge management,” said Janice Gemmell. “Union members have given them till the end of January to come up with the funding for a ‘significantly improved offer’.”

“Union members are determined to see the end of low wages in our sector - and the end of the need for staff to work large amounts of extra shifts and overtime almost always without penal rates. If such an offer is not received by 31 January, union members have made it clear they would meet to determine their reaction to that failure. Brackenridge workers really appreciate the support they have had from parents and wish to keep their support. However, they cannot rule out further similar or even enhanced action,” said Janice Gemmell.

ENDS

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