Health Depts move explained

Press, 20 December 1978, Page 18

Health Depts move explained

PA— Wellington The proposed wage increases negotiated by the Auckland Hospital Board and its employees appeared to Health Department officers to have been negotiated without an awareness of the benefits employees could be expected to get from increases fof State servants next year, after normal wage i surveys, said the Minister of Health (Mr Gair),. “In addition, it appears that the 5 per cent proposed by the parties would be added to the 12.6 per cent State linkage increases which have already been passed on to hospital officers this year,” he said.

Mr Gair said that Health Department officers and the parties would meet today.-A report would then be made to Mr Gair and to the Minister of State Services (Mr Thomson). ; ■

A newspaper report from Auckland at the week-end said that the Health Department had threatened to, in effect deregister the Auckland Hospital Board section of the Auckland Local Authorities Officers Union if steps were not taken to cancel the new wage agreement. However, Mr Gair said that a decision invoking legislation would be made only after a thorough examination by the Government.