Page 32 Advertisements Column 2

Press, 27 November 1986, Page 32

A PUBLIC MESSAGE "ROM HOSPITAL DOMESTIC WORKERS From Friday, November 28, Hospital Domestic Workers will be taking industrial action as a result of their Award talks breaking down. Such an approach is rare from a large group of workers (orderlies, kitchen staff and hospital cleaners) who have always put patient care ahead of personal gain. But they will not let Employers’ Federation politics continue to frustrate their negotiations with their real employers, the Hospital Board and Contract Cleaning Companies of New Zealand. The Canterbury Hospital Board, the second largest in the country, was not even represented at the Award negotiations! Such a failure to honor their responsibility to both employees and the taxpayers of Canterbury is a serious one, made worse by their own admission that the employers’ offer on wages and conditions can be improved. Like many other employers in this Wage round, they have become the victim of Employers Federation extremism and are being led meekly by the nose into unnecessary industrial confrontation. This Award is a large and significant one. The workers will not accept a shoddy settlement based on unrelated and troubled industries, especially given that the burning issue in this Award is not that of wages, but instead the Employers’ wish to free up the use of part-time labour. If the parttime issue is not resolved there will be massive inroads to both full-time jobs and existing part-time ones within the Hospital system. Hospital workers will not allow this to happen. Every effort has been made to ensure patients are not affected by any action, but, at the same time, the Hospital Boards must froget Employers’ Federation politics and pay what they can afford and their workers deserve. PUBLISHED BY THE CANTERBURY HOTEL, HOSPITAL, RESTAURANT, CLUB AND RELATED TRADES UNION.