Kiri Gillespie: Now is not the time to strike for more money

Nurses went on strike this week around New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images

COMMENT:

Primary health care nurses throughout New Zealand went on strike for pay parity on Thursday.

They lined Cameron Rd in Tauranga and Amohia St in Rotorua advocating for their cause - to be paid the same as their peers working for the district health boards.

It's an admirable cause. These are men and women who care for us when we are at our most vulnerable.

They are on the front line of cleaning up vomit, drawing blood, sticking Covid-19 testing swaps up strangers' noses, and carrying out other undesirable, even risky, duties.

If they're lucky, they get paid up to $69,000 a year. It's about 10 per cent lower than what their hospital peers receive and that's not right.

I believe we should be looking after nurses, and others in similar jobs, much better. They are a vital part of our community.

The virus is still affecting New Zealand through imported and community cases, resulting in multitudes of people needing testing. We need nurses more than ever.

But times have changed and, in my view, those who went on strike need to read the room.

New Zealand's economy is haemorrhaging money. Thousands of people have lost their jobs, others are struggling with homelessness and business owners nationwide are trapped in an uncertain limbo between scraping through and potentially not.

It's hard to see how this issue will gain popular traction with the public. There are simply bigger issues for most people - things like paying the mortgage, ensuring the kids get fed, having a roof over their heads, plus the wider economic challenge the country faces.

I had the same reaction when I heard that pharmacy workers and anaesthetic technicians
were also striking for pay parity.

Now is not the time to go on strike for more pay when many people are just grateful to have a job.

Not long ago, people throughout New Zealand voluntarily accepted a pay cut because it might help their employer survive a bit longer during the worst throws of our Covid crisis.

I was one of them. Now, to see strike action for parity when the country is still trying to manage the virus - and the horrific economic fallout from it - is in my opinion tone-deaf.

We are meant to be a team of 5 million.

My message to those nurses, pharmacy workers and anaesthetic technicians is to postpone their strike action. The cause is worthy but they should take one for the team instead.

We are all in this together. Aren't we?