Hospital Workers Rally in Otautahi (ChCh)

NUPE members from Christchurch Hospital ended a 5 day strike today with a staunch message to the CDHB.

Striking support staff from Christchurch Hospital workers rallied outsite their workplace at lunchtime today for the last day of their five day strike action. The action was called by National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) in support of a "30% catchup" wage rise campaign and against what they described in their debrief leaflet as "bulk-underfunding" of the public health service.

About 130 workers and supporters marched from the hospital to Charles Luney House in Oxford Tce where their employer the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) has its offices. Placards, signs and spirited chants criticised the Labour goverment, CDHB and its chairman Syd Bradley. Public reaction ranged from bemused to supportive with enthusiastic honking from a number of vehicles.

NUPE organisers addressed the crowd while negotatiors who were allowed to enter the offices spoke to management. The CDHB issued a terse statement claiming that they "remain prepared and read to meet with the union at any time to move the issues forward and are willing to offer some dates for formal negotiations". But NUPE insists that their "goal was to get a 'meaningful offer' for all groups... [which] was not offered to us and the strike therefore continued for the full five days."

Workers I spoke to emphasized the divisive tactics of CDHB in settling separate contracts with doctors and some groups of nurses while leaving the NUPE members out in the cold. They seemed to believe that stronger solidarity across health sector unions could bring bigger victories in future negotiations.

A Greens candidate who marched with the workers and handed out leaflets on their labour policy was the only obvious sign of the impending election.

Related

http://nupe.org.nz/

http://www.cdhb.govt.nz/communications/media/2005/050913a.htm