Health and Employment – No offer from DHBs as allied health workers’ strike looms

With only one day left to avert strike action by 10,000 PSA allied health workers, no pay offer has been received from DHBs and Ministry of Health, despite their announcement at the weekend that an offer was imminent.

“It is unbelievable that the DHBs are yet again failing to meet their own timeline to make a fair pay offer to our 10,000 health workers” says PSA organiser, Will Matthews.

“The Employment Relations Authority set out a clear pathway to resolve this dispute, and we told the DHBs that we would accept those recommendations. The lack of action from their end demonstrates their disregard for the hard work and sacrifice of these essential workers.”

“The DHBs and the Ministry of Health need to understand that regardless of the outcome of this dispute, their relationship with 10,000 of their employees has now been fundamentally damaged. It will be a long road to restoring the trust and goodwill of allied health workers.”

Hospitals have now been forced to cancel operations for thousands of New Zealanders that were due to take place on Monday.

The PSA and DHBs have been in negotiations for a new collective agreement for allied health workers for over 18 months. Workers voted to strike in March, but this action was called off after the DHBs sought an injunction through the Employment Court. Following a fresh strike ballot, Allied health workers are currently undertaking a two week-long “work to rule” strike, and will walk off the job for 24 hours on Monday 16 May.