Allied Health workers protesting for better pay in Tauranga.
More than 60 allied health workers at the Bay of Plenty District Health Board were on strike for better pay today, with its organiser saying protesters felt "frustrated, angry and undervalued".
A group of workers stood on the Cameron Rd footpath outside Tauranga Hospital with signs saying "We're worthmore than the minimum" and "essential yet overlooked".
The strike was organised by the Public Service Association. In a media statement on Friday, the PSA said 10,000 allied health workers nationally were striking for 24 hours because their employer refused to offer a fair deal to conclude their collective agreement negotiations.
"These workers are an integral part of the health system and they have been overlooked, overworked and undervalued for too long."
The strike took place amid a two-week "work-to-rule" strike that started on May 9. This meant members would be "strictly taking their entitled breaks" and not undertaking any unpaid work outside of their agreed hours.
"It's disappointing it's taken this long and there isn't a reasonable offer on the table. Cost of living has gone up, and it's not reflected in the pay these ladies get."
One Allied Health worker said he was striking for his colleagues that could not afford to miss work.
He had worked delivering rehabilitation equipment to patients' homes for the past five years and felt disrespected and "let down" by the Government.
"I'm lucky because my wife and I both work and she is the main breadwinner. I have got work colleagues that can't go on strike because they don't earn enough. Their budgets are so tight."
Public Service Association Bay of Plenty organiser Nita Nooyen. Photo / Emma Houpt
Public Service Association Bay of Plenty organiser Nita Nooyen said the protest was "packed out" early this morning with more than 60 health workers braving the rain to picket on Cameron Rd.
Some workers were sent home to ensure they did not get sick and others were scheduled to arrive throughout the day, she said.
She said protesters were feeling "frustrated, angry and undervalued" as they were not getting paid enough to work in "high pressure, high risk" environments.
"This is the way for them to vent and say this is not good enough."
Strikers were parked up along Cameron Rd outside Tauranga Hospital. Photo / Emma Houpt
In a media statement on Sunday on behalf of all district health boards, DHB spokesperson Keriana Brooking said DHBs would aim to restart pay talks with the PSA this week.
Their focus was on the range of hospital, community and outpatient services postponed during the 24-hour strike which started at 11.59pm on Sunday.
Brooking said the continued industrial action including Monday's strike was "preventable" as a "comprehensive pay offer" was presented to the PSA on Friday but was rejected without being put to members for consideration.
"We've offered decent pay increases with a focus on increasing pay rates for our lower paid assistants, technicians and trainees.
"We need to settle the pay bargaining so DHBs and the PSA can focus on the issues of pay equity that we both agree on."
Brooking said pay equity had its own legislation and involves other unions, and the Government – none of whom were part of these pay talks.
"We acknowledge bargaining has been protracted and both PSA members and DHBs have been waiting for some time – the sooner we can settle these pay talks, the sooner we can focus on the pay equity claim."
Tauranga health workers braved the rain on Monday morning to fight for fair pay. Photo / Emma Houpt
A Bay of Plenty District Health Board media statement said more than 400 workers were eligible to take part in two weeks of a "work-to-rule" strike and a 24-hour period of a "total withdrawal of labour".
The statement said the Life Preserving Services agreement ensured the board's emergency theatres would be operating throughout the two-week period of industrial action. There would be planned care in theatres for the 24-hour strike period but this would be reduced.
Any non-medical outpatient appointments planned for this period would be rescheduled, and affected patients were in the process of being notified or had been notified, the statement said.
The board's executive director of allied health, scientific and technical and contingency planner Sarah Mitchell said the board was involved in "contingency planning" to mitigate the impact of industrial action.
"Ensuring the safety of our patients and staff is paramount throughout this period of industrial action and all affected services have contingency plans in place for it.
"The Bay of Plenty DHB accepts the right of individuals and organisations to take industrial action, however we do regret any inconvenience which may be caused to the people we serve."
