Christopher Luxon says public servants are not being well represented by their union

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appears on Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking Breakfast. Photo / Michael Craig

As public servants prepare to walk off the job en masse, Christopher Luxon has hit out at the PSA, saying members are not being well represented by their union.

The Prime Minister spoke to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking this morning, where he was asked about this coming rel="" title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mega-strike-public-sector-is-walking-off-the-job-on-october-23-as-judith-collins-fires-back/JPFYNE36J5GRDKIVRFCEMD2STQ/">Thursday’s mega strike.

An estimated 100,000 workers from the public sector - including teachers, nurses, doctors and prison staff - are set to be involved, as they take a stand for better pay and conditions, as well as raising concerns around safe staffing levels.

Public Service Minister Judith Collins has released an open letter to anyone who will be impacted by the strikes, saying they appear to be “politically motivated by the unions”.

“The Government regrets the impact on you, your children and your families that is expected on Thursday because of a strike planned by a number of unions.

“We regret even more that the strike appears to be politically motivated by the unions. What else could possibly explain that in early October, when we were trying to negotiate with the secondary teachers’ union, the number one item on their agenda for a meeting with Education Minister Erica Stanford was Palestine,” Collins wrote.

“Palestine. Not terms and conditions. Not student achievement. Not the new curriculum. Palestine. That’s not what students or parents should expect.”

Hosking asked Luxon if he thought it was appropriate one of the main concerns coming from the union was the Government’s lack of recognition of the Palestinian state.

Luxon said there was “no justification for it”.

“We just want them to be constructive and get around the table. But, I think, you know, the other thing is like you’re sitting there going, we actually have a bunch of teacher only days, we’ve just come back from school holidays. We’ve got Labour Day on Monday and there’s a strike going on this week.

“We’ve not unreasonably asked school teachers to think about doing teacher only days during school holidays and professional development during school holidays so that we can get our kids taught during the term time.”

Luxon rejected Simeon Brown’s indication that they would be changing the law on compulsory arbitration, saying the path forward would be getting back around the table.

He said they would pay them better if they could, but New Zealand does not have a wealthy economy.

“If we were a wealthier economy, like we see in other countries, think about Ireland, twice as wealthy per person as New Zealand, got twice as many teachers, they can pay their people more.”

PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said Luxon’s comments show he is “out of touch with striking workers standing up for public health and education”.

“The Government only has itself to blame for the strikes with offers that expect workers to go backwards and keep staffing levels in hospitals unsafe.

“During the election campaign Christopher Luxon said he would be razor focused on the cost of living - health workers are waiting to see this focus from him.”

She said the Prime Minister is making the situation worse by “questioning the motives of striking workers and unions who have strong public support”.