OVERTIME PAY

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 February 1947, Page 2

OVERTIME PAY

POSITION OF MENTAL HOSPITAL NURSES PUBLIC SERVICE PROTEST (P.A.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Dissatisfied with the finding of. the new. Public Service Commission on overtime pay in mental hospitals in New Zealand, the Public Service Association has entered a protest with the Government. The association’s official journal has described the commission’s finding as “illogical, indefensible, inequitable and quite unacceptable,” and declares that the commission is withholding six months’ overtime pay from workers. Meanwhile the nurses at the Porirua Mental Hospital have threatened to refuse to work overtime if their claims are not met. Mr. J. E. Engel, administrative officer of the Public Service Commission, .said last night that the nurses had been dissatisfied with their overtime decision and had said that if a more favourable decision could not be given they would refuse to work overtime. He said the matter was now being considered. Mr. J. Turnbull, secretary - of the New Zealand Public Service Association, said the threat to refuse overtime did not come from the association, but the association was dissatisfied with the decision and was now discussing the matter with the Government. Any action to be taken would be determined by the association.