Thousands of workers who support intellectually disabled adults to strike

IDEA workers will be striking this week after collective bargaining efforts stalled. Photo / Supplied

Thousands of support workers for intellectually disabled adults will strike this week after progress on a collective agreement stalled.

Workers at IDEA - the operational arm of IHC - will strike for one hour on April 27 to protest the lack of progress in bargaining for a new agreement.

E Tu union co-ordinator Alastair Duncan said 3000 workers will take part in the strike.

"Support staff spend their days enabling New Zealanders with intellectual disabilities to lead the best possible lives. In turn staff want IDEA to deliver the guaranteed and stable hours that enable the workforce to plan their own lives."

The union said at the heart of the dispute is a call by the workers to strengthen job security and health and safety rights.

The union are also opposed to working hours being slashed, and staff working "anti-social shifts".

"IDEA is prone to cutting hours of its staff and is now going through a major restructure.

"Staff are right to be concerned about their jobs and the impact on the people they support.

"IDEA has a long serving and loyal workforce who do their best to support the service users. In turn staff expect IDEA to show them the same measure of support. Sadly, that is not happening," Duncan said.

He said workers were due a pay rise last October.

"Staff see their action as moderate and restrained and are determined that service users, the people they support, are looked after during the action. We have given IDEA extensive notice of the action to minimise the impact on service users."

The strike will start at 8.30am and the last for one hour.