Pay Cuts Feared In Mental Hospitals

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32030, 3 July 1969, Page 1

Pay Cuts Feared In Mental Hospitals

Mental hospital workers were not satisfied with - the assurances given last week by the Prime Minister (Mr Hoiyoake), their Canterbury and Westland representative in the Public Service Association (Mr H. G. McMillan) said in Hanmer Springs yesterday.

Mr McMillan said that they had been unable to obtain any guarantee that they would not suffer a loss in pay or conditions when mental hospitals came under the control of hospital boards.

Unless such, an undertaking were received members throughout the country would consider direct action, he said. The national chairman of the P.S.A. mental health group (Mr B. J. Flahive) said from Wellington that Mr Holyoake had “travelled somewhat further than the Minister of Health," but had not made any definite proposals. “We will seek a further meeting with the Prime Minister for assurances that pay and conditions will be no less favourable' than we now enjoy,” said Mr Flahive. “We appeal to the Prime Minister to consider such a step in all earnestness, rather than allow the issues to develop into a bitter and costly series of actions,” he said. BEQUEST TO STAFF Mr McMillan said that the national committee had asked the staff of all mental hospitals to defer direct action in the meantime. “If no satisfaction is received, we will consult them on the best courses to take and will lay down a policy for mental hospitals throughout New Zealand. “Suggestions already submitted include a national ban on ail overtime and strikes by all members after the provision of skeleton staffs,” he said. Mr McMillan said that the Public Service Association had working in mental hospitals more than 5000 members, including nurses and supervisors, artisans, laundry staff, cooks and clerical

workers. All mental hospital workers were covered by P.S.A. rates and conditions, including Government superannuation, and were eligible to join the association. “As we are a voluntary organisation and not a compulsory union, many of them have not bothered to join. But more than 8000 workers signed our petition asking for a guarantee that we would not suffer from the change in control,” Mr McMillan said. “AXE OVEB HEADS”

The secretary of the Canterbury branch of the P.SA. (Mr J. M. McKenzie) said yesterday that without firm

assurances his members had an axe hanging over their heads. Not only could they suffer heavy cuts in pay, but they would lose the advantages of Government superannuation and of more avenues for promotion with a single employer. Mental hospital staff nurses were paid up to $2342 a year, compared with $1979 in general hospitals, Mr McKenzie said. Drivers were paid $1960 compared with $1740; female chief cooks $2344 ($4862);

seamstresses $2168 ($1226) and domestics $1474 ($1226). Without special legislation, said Mr McKenzie, hospital boards would not be permitted to pay mental hospital staff their present salaries. Mr McKenzie said that it had been suggested an allowance could be paid to mental hospital staff, to bring their pay up to their present levels. This, however, could be eroded and gradually eliminated without any direct action, and it would also cause an immediate loss in pay because holiday and overtime pay would be according to the basic rate.

The Government had two reasons for relinquishing control of the mental hospitals, he said. It had allowed them to become so badly run down that they had become a political embarrassment, and it hoped that by shedding the responsibility for them it could also escape the criticism directed at them.

“In future they will say, ‘it’s not the Government’s fault: complain to the board,’ ” said Mr McKenzie. The second reason, he said, was that by avoiding direct responsibility, the Government could enforce harsher economies. When future hospital boards were forced to reduce their budgets, who could doubt that the mental hospitals, and their staff, would also suffer?