SERIOUS VIEW

Evening Star, Issue 26043, 6 March 1947, Page 4

SERIOUS VIEW

MENTAL HOSPITALS DISPUTE ATTITUDE OF PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 5. The decision of the Public Service Commission to resume relations as from to-day with the New Zealand Public Service Association was conveyed to the association in a letter written yesterday by Mr L. A. Atkinson, secretary of the commission. The letter, which is addressed to the general secretary of the association, reads (in part) as follows: “ The commission asks me to write as follows on the related matters of (1) the commencing date of the revised overtime arrangements in mental hospitals, (2) the reported threat of direct action with the support of the Public Service Association by way of refusal of ‘ call-back ’ duty,- and (3) the relations between the commission and the association.

DATE OF OVERTIME PAYMENT. “ On the first point the exeoutive officers of the association are aware—though the point has been confused in Press statements made by them—that October 1, 1946, was the commencing date unanimously recommended by , a. committee which included a representative of the Public Service Association. This date was approved by the then Public Service Commissioner. When the officers of the association raised the matter with the new commission, a case for back-dating overtime was not established by reference to any commitment. It is unfortunate, therefore, that in their public statements officers of the association should say that April 1, 1946, had been agreed upon. PATIENTS WOULD SUFFER. “ On the second point the commission took, and still takes, a serious view of the threatened new procedure by way of direct action, reportedly with the support of the association. .In this instance it is evident that those to suffer would be the patients in the mental institutions. Indeed, official advice at the end of the first day was that the net outcome had been to leave in bed some patients who would otherwise have had a spell out of doors. Fortunately, information from the institutions generally is that the nursing and other staffs are co-operating, and that satisfactory arrangements for the care and treatment of patients are under way. UNACCEPTABLE PROPOSAL. “ The commission, however, cannot but take note of the terms of a telegram to the association representatives in mental hospitals purporting to confirm that the staffs should undertake without payment work ‘ which, oh representation from the medical superintendent, the association’s sub-com-mittee rules as being urgent and essential to tbe welfare of the patients.’ “ It is completely unacceptable that the judgment of the medical superintendent or his professional officers on duty should be subject to reference to the association’s sub-committee. The commission does not believe that this can have been seriously intended, in spite of the wording of the telegram as published in the Press.”