CONDITIONS IN NURSING PROFESSION

Northern Advocate, 18 July 1936, Page 12

CONDITIONS IN NURSING PROFESSION

RECENT LEGISLATION Imscussed BY BOARD

jS-A letter was,received by the Mangbnui Hospital Board from the Hospilal Boards’ Association in reference to recent legislation affecting hours of £fnploymcht and wages and salaries. II was pointed out that the 40-hour week only applied to those working wider, awards. In the past, hospital boards had not been bound by labour kwards, for the reason that they do ixpt function for pecuniary gain, and from inquiries made it had been ascertained that no alteration was confemplated in this respect. No obstacle could, be placed in the way of employees cf hospital boards taking

sjeps to form a separate union or unions, but the formation of a union would not imply that it was capable of being registered. . . Separate Union Doubtful. It was very doubtful if a separate union of hospital board employees yli&uld be registered, as they would no d,bubt be expected to link up with existing unions, which provided for fegistration in the various classes of employment. After registration the ttipxt step on the part of a union was to apply for an award, and hospital boards could apply for exemption. |#vfen if hospital boards were made parties to ap award it would be reasonable to expect that special conditions would be included in the award, profading for the peculiar position of hospital boards, as it was obvious that mere could be no restriction placed fljpon work carried out in public hos"pitals.

£»' No Immediate Action. iSlt was therefore considered unnecessary fqr .hospital* boards to take any action until such time as they were cited as parties to an award when it ■Should be competent to them to apply fori exemption. The provisions of the factories Act had not applied in the s|st to ( hospital laundries, arid no inflation had been given of any alteration. As regards the 1931 standard of images, rriost boards had already made le restorations, so that no comment wjas necessary. a*. Board Discusses Position. if. The chairman said they would have tjpi go carefully into the position, and see that all salaries and wages were brought-, up. to the level. Mr Michie said it would be unfair to ask the nurses to work 80 . hours, while all others were on a week. Many people wondered why, with, the duties they had to carry out, anyone adopted ; nursing as a profession. The board * would not be within its rights in asking one self-sacrificing section to give more than the.ir share in service. Mr Vickers' said he was in accord with-what Mr Michie had said. It seemed very unfair that nurses should be* placed' oh. a different footing to other rriembers of the staff. One way out of the difficulty would be to increase the pay of nurses. To exclude them from all.awards was very unfair indeed' -He could not understand the stand the Association was taking. It had always been a wonder to him that girls “took up the nursing professiori. Mr Kitchen said he was surprised at the argument used that hospitals were not run for pecuniary gain. Mr Steed said he fully agreed that nurses should receive some protection, but he thought there was a provision for nurses joining other unions. Mr Michie moved that as an initial step, a letter be addressed to the Hospital Boards’ Association urging that in the efforts to improve the position of public servants, nurses should receive due consideration. Mr h. J. Matthews said nurses should receive proper rernurieration for the humane , and public. services they render.. Si S -■ S’ . S J..;

Mr Clark;.' thought ■ they should get the views of the superintendent be.f fore actings- 4

Nurses Overworked. Mr Hoskin said they did not want to act with too much haste. He agreed that nurses were overworked and that salaries should be restored to the 1931 level, but the board should not hasten to accept : ?a responsibility it might npt be able to carry. All he suggested at present was that they should move with caution, v The Ohairmam said that in making the cuts, the Mangonui Board was the last to move,' and. 'only moved under pressure.;, :;He was proud of the purses, who were 'the most loyal people they could get! They had never complained about long hours, and such a thing as a. strike had never been heard of. He tlieught the board should take the view-ibat. it was prepared' to increase wages? As soon as they had the facts from the secretary with regard to the restoration of cuts as they applied to the different members of the staff, they could do what was necessary. He would strongly support the bringing of nurses’ salaries into line r with those in other walks of life. A head waitress in Auckland received 45/- per week, and the work was comparatively easy. If they placed their views before the association, he thought it would be found that few boards would oppose them.

Advantage Taken of One Section. Mr Michie said that up to a'point he agreed with Mr Hoskin, but were theyjto take advantage of a section of the community in their employ because they were not prptected? His resolution tied the board to nothing, but tpok exception to what was set out in the letter, which stated that no alteration was contemplated. One little section was to be taken advantage of because it had no award. He for one would not want to apply for exemption from an award should one be made covering nurses. He did not want to strew the; path of the nurses with roses, but he wanted the board to do the best* it could for them. The motion was carried unanimously. Salaries Restored. The chairman moved that in all cases the salaries of nurses in July, 1931, be reinstated. This was carried. Mi‘ Hoskin asked how the increases would affect the levies. Mr Matthews: “The levies have already been made.” Mr Michie: “The Increases will only mean an additional £85.” The chairman: “Our estimates have been on the liberal side.” The secretary said that allowing for the subsidy, the increases would only cost the board £27.