Around 17,000 health workers across New Zealand are striking today for the second time in a month after mediation between the Public Service Association (PSA) and Health NZ failed, adding to growing unrest in the sector as nurses and senior doctors remain locked in their own long-running disputes.
The PSA says the government must allow Health NZ to offer fair pay and address unsafe staffing levels, while Health NZ maintains contingency plans will protect patient safety during the strike.
Health Minister Simeon Brown has urged Health NZ to cut bureaucracy and speed up frontline recruitment, but major health unions have jointly appealed to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to intervene, warning of stalled bargaining and rising pressure on essential services.
With more than 100,000 workers having taken strike action last month, health sector upheaval continues to be a mounting challenge for the government heading into election year.
“Health NZ and the Government are not listening to health workers, and these workers feel they have no choice but to strike. Health NZ’s offers don’t address chronic understaffing or ridiculous recuitment delays, and it is still offering an effective pay cut in a cost-of-living crisis,” the union said in a statement on its website.
I am a dedicated allied health worker. Was independently employed for 18 years. Arden shut us down for nearly three months. Getting outta that hole was awful. I even remember her saying about businesses: “we won’t save them all”. You destroy an economy, expect blood.
This is nothing more than political bs. We all know their unions are Labour led.
Pity they didn’t speak up when their coworkers were being fired for not taking that jab!!
Many had kids to feed and mortgages to pay. Blame Labour by all means but don’t blame the health workers or any other. Many were coerced.
Many were also self serving and brainwashed. Why weren’t they striking in solidarity with their colleagues who refused the jab?
Exactly, if they all stood together (teachers as well), then no one would have lost their job or been forced to take it.