Pay rise for board chairman attacked

Press, 26 July 1986, Page 9

Pay rise for board chairman attacked

The Canterbury Hospital Board has been accused of. inconsistency because it has approved an increase in the chairman’s honorarium. The board almost doubled Mr Tom Grigg’s honorarium, from $13,666 to $25,000. The increase is back-dated to April, 1985. The Canterbury Hotel and Hospital Workers’ Union said it noted with derision that the board’s justification was that there had been no movement in the rates before the wage and price freeze. “We marvel at the board’s inconsistency in relation to wage increases granted to other em-

ployees, such as our members employed in domestic, kitchen and orderly services, who also were victims of the wage freeze," said the union’s secretary, Mr Martin Moodie.

In two award rounds since the freeze the workers had gained total increases of less than 30 per cent, and their average Income was nowhere near Mr Grigg’s honorarium. “If the board is suddenly more flush with funds than it has previously led us to believe, it is disconcerting that they are choosing to spend their new-found wealth on “jobs for the boys,” said

Mr Moodie. He said that his comments were not a personal attack on Mr Grigg. Mr Grigg said last evening that the increase still did not bring honorariums received by hospital board chairmen into line with payments made by other local authorities. The increase was the result of a Higher Salaries Commission decision, he said.

“Considering the size of the organisation, with a budget of $lBO million and 6000 employees, it is appropriate that those who have to be responsible for this budget should have a reasonable honorarium,” said Mr Grigg.