Nurses definite on strike plan

Press, 2 December 1985, Page 6

Nurses definite on strike plan

PA Wellington Public hospital nurses plan to strike in a fortnight over their pay negotiations, leaving only sufficient staff for essential hospital services. The Nurses’ Association will give 14 days notice of industrial action today. Nurses are protesting about a pay offer made last week, saying it is too low. The association’s industrial officer, Mr Neville Taylor, said the action would definitely take the form of a stoppage, but enough staff would be kept working to maintain essential services. Nurses would be avail-

able to deal with urgent admissions such as accident victims, as well as to provide care for critically ill patients. However, nursing staff would not be available

for non-urgent work. “We are not going to jeopardise the safety of individual patients,” Mr Taylor said. Last week’s pay offer from the Health Services Committee would, when combined with the 15.5 per cent State annual adjustment, increase nurses’ salaries by between 28 and 40 per cent. But the association, which was angry with the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, for

publicly announcing the offer, says the annual general adjustment should be a separate area and not included in the offer.

Mr Taylor said the association unsuccessfully sought a meeting with Dr Bassett last week, and still hoped to meet him this week.

The decision to hold a stoppage was taken “most reluctantly,” but nurses were angry and upset about, the offer.

“Really it is a sad decision, but it just shows how strongly nurses feel,” he said.