PROTEST MADE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4311, 31 July 1950, Page 8

PROTEST MADE

FREEDOM TAKEN AWAY WAGES STABILISED THAMES HOSPITAL BOARD “The members of our staff have been subjected to the increased cost of living and something should be done to bridge the gap which has arisen by the increase in the cost of living, thanks to recent legislation,” declared Mr J. W. Neate at the July meeting of the Thames Hospital Board. “What steps does the board intend to take to meet the position?” asked Mr Neate. What about the increased cost as it affects our nursing staff?” “The increase is (mostly borne by the hospital board,” said Mr A. L. Neighbour, secretary to the board.

“I am rather surprised at Mr Neate when he suggested that members of the board were not considerate of its nurses,” said Mr C. W. Kennedy. When he joined the board it cost £92 per annum to maintain a patient but, now for instance in Wellington, it cost over £lOOO per year per patient.

“Stablisation applies to hospital boards but not to other employers of labour. The award, as far as the hospital boards were concerned, was a fixation and 1 a maximum fixation whereas with other institutions and employers the fixation was the minimum,” said Mr Neighbour. The board had applied for permission to increase the salaries of those persons adversely affected by the Minister’s fixation of salaries and remuneration of those in the board’s employ.

In a letter to the board the Minister of Health, the Hon. Mr Watt, fixed the maximum remuneration of hospital boards’ employees. “Do we need to have the full letter and accompanying documents read?” asked the chairman, Mr J. W. Danby, who pointed out that members knew all about the contents of the communications.

“The Auckland Hospital Board has taken strong exception to the instructions from the Minister,” declared Mr Neate, who went on to state that despite a claim of wishing to give more boards freedom they have been given less and it now appeared hospital boards were stablised whilst other institutions were free to fix employees’ remuneration.

It was a most important matter and some action should be taken to protest against the injustice done to hospital boards, added Mr Neate.

Was not the proper method of protesting through the hospital boards’ association. If that channel was used then concerted action could be taken, said the chairman. The matter was certainly serious but he advised that the matter be referred to the association. Whilst professing to give more .freedom to hospital boards the Minister was taking greater powers and depriving still further the boards of powers they had before. The right of appeal had been taken away, declared Mr Neate. In some ways the Minister was to be commended in that he was trying to keep down the tremendous rise in hospital costs, said Mr ■Edwin Ed-wards,-but he did not agree with any action which would prevent persons in the board’s employ from receiving their just cost of living bonus. Some increase was certainly due to certain employees of the board and he would move that the matter be referred to the association with a request to protest.

Mr T. A. Barrett pointed out that all other local bodies had given the cost of living bonus and he supported Mr Edwards’ motion to approach the association.

The resolution was carried unanimously.