Strike-breaking claim

Press, 21 November 1987, Page 1

Strike-breaking claim

RICHARD CRESSELL and GLENIS CARROLL

By

The Canterbury Hotel and Hospital Workers’ Union will meet on Monday evening to review the 48-hour stoppage by its members that ended at midnight last night. The union secretary, Ms Lianne Dalziel, said the meeting would discuss reports that orderlies and cleaners continued to work at Princess Margaret Hospital during the strike. She could not say how many workers had kept working during the dispute but further action about the mavericks would .be “up to the union members.” “Workers at other hospitals and those at Princess Margaret are angry that the workers continued with their duties,” she said. Victimisation of rest home workers would also be on the

meeting’s agenda. Ms Dalziel said one employer had been ordering its workers to fill in a questionnaire about the amalgamation of the three awards — the rest homes, private hospitals and public hospitals awards. The survey had been sent out by the Canterbury Rest Homes’ Association to its members, she said. Workers had been ordered to fill in questionnaires and when the staff at one home had given answers that supported the award amalgamation — a move employers are resisting — the workers’ answers were altered. The parties in the dispute are expected to meet on Wednesday before an arbitration commission which could lead to further talks. Services at the hospitals affected by the strike ran rela-

tively smoothly during the latter half of the strike. Many of the 150 - people who had volunteered to help maintain essential patient services on the first day returned to help yesterday and all the hospitals had enough volunteers. The Canterbury Hospital Board’s chief executive, Mr Ron Parker, said yesterday afternoon that the volunteers were beginning to wind down in anticipation of the return to work at midnight. “It’s been a very hard time for some of our other staff. Many have worked 12 to 14-hour. shifts,” he said. The board had been impressed by the commitment shown by its staff who worked and the responses from the public, he said. Many people had registered

their names for volunteer work should a second strike go ahead as planned on December 3. Senior hospital managers will meet on Monday to review the effect of this week’s strike and the strategy employed to cope with it. The New Zealand Employers’ Federation said threats had been made by unions during the dispute. The employers’ advocate, Ms Mary Hall, said unions could not stop workers from doing their normal duties. She said the proposed single health service award would mean little gain for public hospital workers who in any case received the best rates of pay and were in the sector which had the greatest resources.