Insurance at heart of airport dispute

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 6

Insurance at heart of airport dispute

Crash firemen at Christchurch Airport have threatened to take direct action over a medical insurance [scheme. i The action is unspecified, ; but a spokesman said that it i would cause widespread disruption of air services. Because of the nature of their occupation, rescue firemen are required by their employer, the Ministry of Transport, to take out a medical insurance policy. This involves medical examination.

The firemen, who are members of the Public Service Association, are angry because one of them who was declared unfit last November was not paid within 90 days.

Mr J. E. Comhill, Canterbury section secretary of the P.S.A. said that, under the policy, a fireman declared unfit should be paid 20 per cent of a total sum of $24,000 90 days after being declared unfit, and another 20 per cent 90 days after that. During that period, the employer was obliged to seek suitable alternative employment. “Unfortunately, the Minis-

■try said that the fireman .was only temporarily unfit land it was not until after more examinations that he | was declared totally unfit on ■March 13,” said Mr Cortihill. The man would now have to wait 90 days from March 13 before he could get the first 20 per cent of the $24,000 ($4800), said Mr Cornhill. “Our case is that he should have received it 90 days after the November declaration.”

The firemen met on April 6 and demanded that the Ministry apply the policy as from November and investigate the possibility of changing the insurance company. They agreed to take direct action unless the money was paid by April 20. Asked why the Ministry should be the object of attack if the policy was to blame, Mr Cornhill said that the firemen felt they had nowhere else to go and it was the only way to draw attention to the matter.

The firemen felt very uneasy about the policy, and it was the Ministry which had engaged the company — Lloyd’s of London, through New Zealand agents. Hogg,

i Robinson (New Zealand) Ltd. He conceded that the [M.O.T. may havd been misled when it engaged thf (company in 1976. This was ■the first time that a fireman had been declared unfit, he [said. • The M.O.T.’s regional [administration officer (Mr D. I Lynn) said that a man was not considered unfit until i the medical examiner said so.

The fireman had been [declared unfit for rescue duties in November but could and was employed on other duties on nis basic salary. “We considered that he was temporarily unfit and that he could have come back to full fitness.” But further examinations in February revealed that the man was permanently unfit. He was still being employed on light duties and would be employed that way for six months while the Ministry looked for suitable alternative employment, said Mr Lynn. The premium is $137 a year, of which each fireman pays $53 and the M.O.T. the balance.