A member of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists who is on strike climbed on to the roof of Simeon Brown's electorate office in Pakūranga today. Photo / X
A member of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists who is on strike climbed on to the roof of Simeon Brown's electorate office in Pakūranga today. Photo / X
Health Minister Simeon Brown has hit out at a union striker who clambered on to his electorate office roof this morning to place protest messages in his window, claiming the act went “too far”.
The Pakūranga MP’s electorate office has been the target of medical professionals this week sinceprotests kicked off just after midnight on Sunday.
Brown took to social media to share his concerns about the protest method, which he deemed intimidating.
“To the ASMS [Association of Salaried Medical Specialists] union striker who climbed on the roof of my electorate office today: the union had a meeting scheduled with me today in the CBD, which it then cancelled,” Brown said in a post on X.
Doctors picketing outside Simeon Brown's office in Pakūranga. Photo / Michael Craig
“Thank you to all our doctors who are working today,” the message read.
The striker on the roof hit back by covering the original message with protest signs that read: “Invest in our health”.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton says the union does not condone the action of a striking member at Simeon Brown's electorate office. Photo / Supplied
ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton confirmed to the Herald that at today’s rally outside the minister’s electorate office, an ASMS member climbed on to an awning.
She said the person did this to place a sign next to the message already in the window from Brown to striking doctors.
“That action was not appropriate and is not something the union condones,” Dalton said.
Why are they striking?
Health NZ acting chief executive Dr Richard Sullivan said all bargaining efforts had been exhausted, Health NZ was now applying to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) to “fix the terms” of a settlement with the ASMS.
Doctors picketing outside Simeon Brown's office two weeks after 36,000 nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants went on a two-day strike. Photo / Michael Craig
“We are very disappointed to have to take this step, but we have been in bargaining with ASMS for over a year, we have attended 11 days of formal bargaining, a number of informal meetings, mediation, six days of facilitated bargaining and accepted the invitation to binding arbitration, which the union refused.
“We believe the application for fixing is the best way forward to ensure certainty for New Zealanders,” Sullivan said.
The protest came two weeks after 36,000 nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants walked off the job for two days in a strike for better pay and increased staffing.
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