Thirty Percent Wage Cut Ultimatum Outrageous

Thirty Percent Wage Cut Ultimatum Outrageous

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) believes an ultimatum to staff at the Otaihape Health Trust in Taihape to take a 30 percent pay cut to ensure health services can continue is outrageous.

NZNO industrial adviser Rob Haultain said no district health board (DHB) in New Zealand expected staff to take a pay cut to help manage DHB debt and fund services DHBs were legally required to provide. At pay negotiations late last month staff who care for inpatients were told to take a 30 percent pay cut or lose the health service.

“Why is it okay to ask workers in Taihape to subsidise the community health service? The trust has not been well run financially and we want the Whanganui DHB to put in a statutory manager to run the service. The DHB has an obligation to provide health services to the people of Taihape. All the union members working for the service have pledged to work closely with a statutory manager to maintain current services,” Haultain said.

She said trustees have paid three executive directors, who have worked two days a month for the last three years, $50,000 each per year for their work. The trust has 22 aged-care beds, equally divided between hospital and rest-home beds, seven beds for maternity, acute GP and respite care, and provides a 24/7 triage service.

“The people of Taihape must support the trust’s staff and demand that Whanganui DHB takes responsibility for providing health and disability services to the Taihape community,” Haultain said.

ENDS

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