MALE NURSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26747, 16 April 1948, Page 6

MALE NURSES

ASSOCIATION SUGGESTED OPINIONS ON UNIONISM EXPRESSED P A. WELLINGTON. Apl. 15. The organisation of training for male nurses was no “ put-up job,” and there was nothing sinister behind it, said the director of the division of nursing of the Department of Health, Miss M. I. Lambie, to-day in answer to a suggestion that the department and the Hospital Boards’ Association were interested in the forming of a registered male nurses’ association to get men away from the Hotel Workers’ Union. Miss Lambie made this statement at a conference called in Wellington to consider the formation of a registered male nurses’ association. After the secretary of the New Zealand Registered Nurses’ Association, Miss E. S. Brown, had explained why nurses had not formed an industrial union, the representative of the Hotel Workers* Union, Mr J. H. Geddes, said his organisation felt that the move to form a male association was not spontaneous. Function of Union Male nurses might wish to know why the Registered Nurses’ Association had not chosen to become an industrial union, said Miss Brown. She was not belittling industrial unions, which had done tremendous work, but the Nurses' Association felt that it should do more. It was responsible not only for working conditions, but also for maintaining a high standard of nursing training and the provision of a high standard of service to the sick. “ We feel that the weapons used by unions, such as ‘ go-slow ’ and the strike, are unsuited to our profession, and so we discourage our members from joining a union,” said Miss Brown. She added that the registered nurses’ conference had always voted to remain as at present, and student nurses had also rejected unionism. “ Our organisation is very concerned at the interest of the Department of Health and the Hospital Boards’ Association in registered male nurses,” said Mr Geddes, on behalf of the Hotel Workers’ Union. “They could have shown that interest yeai’s ago.” Miss Brown had mentioned “ go-slow ” and the strike, said Mr Geddes. Workers in hospitals had been members of a union for some considerable time, and never had there been industrial strife in hospitals. In regard to any fear that hospital workers might go on strike in sympathy with others, that was the last thing the union would ask of anyone working in any hospital. “ Workers in hospitals who have been in a union have improved their conditions out of all comparison with nurses whom our organisation considers are grossly underpaid,” said Mr Geddes. In the move towards the registration of male nurses and of an organisation of those registered male nurses, there has been no discussion with the Hotel Workers’ Federation. “We feel that this move is by no means spontaneous and that it is not supported by a majority of male nurses,” said Mr Geddes. He asked if male nurses, who were numerically small, could improve the conditions they had to-day. The union was prepared to assist, and if help was wanted the union would be there. In reply to Mr Geddes, Miss Lambie said the Health Department had no part in the organising of the conference. The inauguration of training for male nurses was no “put-up job,” and there was nothing sinister behind it. It was started because Mr Nordmeyer, when he was Minister of Health, thought that a career should be opened for male nurses. “ I am not here to encourage men to leave the union and form an association,” said Miss Lambie. “ I am here purely to advise and help.”