B.M.A. Challenges Unions’ Attitude

Northern Advocate, 13 May 1939, Page 8

B.M.A. Challenges Unions’ Attitude

[Special to “Northern Advocate ” 3 WELLINGTON, This Day.

The chairman of tire national health f insurance committee of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. J. P. S. Jamieson, yesterday made reference to the action of a number of trade union in passing motions condemnatory of the attitude of the medical profession in failing to operate the health provisions of the Social Security Act. “During the past few weeks resolutions have been passed by several trade unions condemning the attitude of the association, supporting the Government and advocating the compulsion of the profession to operate the medical provisions of the Act, even to the extent of the introduction of .alien medical men to break the socalled ‘doctors’ strike’,” Dr. Jamieson said.

“These resolutions have been passed under a complete misapprehension of the true position, and with a strange inconsistency and disregard of their possible future repercussions on the trades unions themselves. No Doctors’ Strike. “In the first place, there is no ‘doctors’ strike.’ The medical work of the country is going on just as usual, and will continue to do so. That being the case, it may be asked: was there ever a strike which did not involve a stoppage of >vork? “Although continuing to work, the medical profession have been unable to see their way to accept certain conditions and regulations imposed under the Social Security Act, so they have not contracted. In doing so, they are entirely within their legal rights as prescribed by the Government. This is provided for in Section 86 of the Social Security Act itself. “They are .also morally bound to refuse, for they know that the medical service provided for these same unionists and their wives under the Act would be inferior and more costly than that which is now at their disposal. Illegal Strikes,

“While so condemnatory of the doctors who are not striking, who are legally and morally right, and who are inflicting no loss on the community, we hear no condemnation of the 70 odd illegal strikes that have taken place during the past twelve months, and have caused material loss to the, country.

“Again, while these same trades unionists have no hesitation in recojmmending the importation of outside doctors, and aliens even at that, to meet the present position, it may fairly be asked how would they regard the introduction of aliens to terminate some local industrial dispute, especially a dispute in which they themselves were involved?

“If the Government would be supported by them in the importation of alien medical men, it is clear they must also concede that the Government would be right in the introduction of, say, coolie labour, to quash one of their own real strikes. Doubtless, the Government will docket all such representations for future reference. , Private Arrangements Preferred. “The so-called obstinate attitude of doctors which these union condemn amounts to nothing more than that the doctors prefer to serve their patients directly rather than have Government interference between them and the patienls. “In the present instance, which concerns the maternity benefits, greater advantages can be given to tlie patients at less cost by providing the benefits in the form of a cash benefit payable to the patient: In this way, the patient would be completely free in making her own private arrangements,

which is rar rr-om being the case under the conditions .and regulations the Government wishes to introduce. “The Government can produce no good reason why this simple and democratic method could not be adopted.”