Above: 3 September strike, Feilding

PHC MECA Update 15 October 2020

Kia ora PHC Member,

Your strike ballot commences today!

As indicated in last week's Update, as per the resolution from the union/stopwork meetings we would be proceeding to a further strike ballot of our members on 15 October unless there was additional funding allocated for pay parity, enabling negotiations to resume on this basis by 14 October.

As reported, member feedback showed clear support for two 24 hour strikes, two weeks apart. Further, a majority of members indicated they were prepared to participate in the strike action supported by the majority of their colleagues. This is very conclusive and shows that these members see this as the necessary next step.

As a result of our campaign thus far we have achieved for the very first time a stated commitment to pay parity for PHC from the DHBs and Ministry of Health and that the initial focus will be on the PHC MECA. Despite this there is still no sign of being able to return to negotiations with the necessary additional funding for an acceptable resolution. This needs urgency.

It is so frustrating and disappointing we have to take this step. Funders and the Government should recognise the urgency needed to appropriately value their primary health care workforce and halt the recruitment and retention issues when we are seeing every day new funding being provided for other matters. Its not okay to on one hand finally recognise the pay parity issue but on the other to fob our members off in terms of urgency to resolve the matter. Its been 13 months now….

So we’re finally part way there with acceptance pay parity should occur and now we need to show how collective and committed members are to achieving this  right now!

As indicated previously, given there are around 490 employers and 500+ workplaces covered, we need to have the same time and date on the ballot. It is not logistically possible to fit this in with all start and finish times in all workplaces because there are so many employers, but this should not detract from the action itself.

Proposed strike action

The electronic ballot will commence today (Thursday 15 October) and will run through to 5pm on Thursday 22 October. You will receive a link to participate in the ballot shortly.

The proposed strike action is:

• a total withdrawal of labour starting at 0800 hours on Monday 9 November 2020 and ending at 0800 hours on Tuesday 10 November 2020 and
• a total withdrawal of labour starting at 0800 hours on Monday 23 November 2020 and ending at 0800 hours on Tuesday 24 November 2020

You would not be paid for the duration of your shift that occurs within each of the 24 hour strike days.

Where to next

Once the ballot is completed and we have a vote to proceed, we will then formally give the employers 16 day's notice of the strike date and time.

At anytime during the balloting process or the strike notice period, we are able to resume negotiations and strike action can be withdrawn at any time should tangible progress be made – and we would hope, now that we are through the first gate, common sense prevails from the powers that be to enable this to occur with the urgency needed.

Media

We will be issuing a media release today.

Let's show how committed we are to achieving an appropriately valued primary health care workforce post haste.

Ngā mihi,

Chris Wilson