Food workers walk off the job at Auckland City Hospital

Photo / Greg Bowker

Unionised food workers have walked off the job today at Auckland City Hospital in protest against a contracting-out decision they say will cost jobs and be bad for patients.

The Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata district health boards announced today they had agreed to a proposal to increase the involvement of the Compass Group from next December in food preparation and delivery at public hospitals and clinics. The scheme is expected to save $80 million to $90 million over 15 years.

Auckland DHB said Compass already provided 44 per cent of patient meals in New Zealand, including those served at Waitemata and Counties DHBs. Of the three DHBs, Auckland, whose food services are currently provided in-house, will impose the most changes.

Its chief executive Ailsa Claire said there would be no kitchen closures and all DHB food service staff would be offered the opportunity to transfer their employment to Compass on their existing terms and conditions.

Ms Claire's media liaison officer said no jobs were being lost. When asked how money could be saved if no jobs were not being lost, he said, "I don't think that detail is something we can release yet."

Service & Food Workers Union (SFWU) organiser Jill Ovens said: "Auckland DHB says one in five food services jobs will go across Auckland and there has been widespread rejection of the proposal to outsource food. The DHB has not listened to their workforce or the community and made a very bad decision."

"The workers are devastated and patients and their families will be very disappointed when they experience the reality of outsourced food."

The decision was "bad for workers and bad for patients".

The media liaison officer said non-union workers were doing the jobs of the absent staff to ensure patients received food this afternoon and this evening.

Under the agreement, Compass will become responsible for patient meals and beverages; meals-on-wheels; cafeteria services; food supplies to wards and departments; and, if each DHBs so chooses, function catering and vending machine services.

Jill Ovens said the Government's intention is to extend the Auckland Compass model to all DHBs, affecting more than 1500 kitchen workers and every hospital patient requiring food.

Auckland DHB said business cases on a national food services proposal have been sent to the 17 non-Auckland DHBs for their consideration.