Waitematā Health NZ Managers now also set to take unprecedented strike action

Following the Counties Manukau Managers issuing notice of strike action last week, General Managers, Service Managers and Functional Managers employed by Health New Zealand at Waitematā District and represented by the APEX union will also take partial strike action for 14 days from 3 November.

This is the first time these managers have joined a union and taken strike action to progress collective bargaining. After 7 months of bargaining without a formal offer, APEX Senior Advocate Denise Tairua said: “APEX manager members feel let down and undervalued by their employer. Managers want to be fairly paid for the work their roles demand, as without them, patients would not receive the care they need.”

Managers face pressure from above to meet targets and remain within budgets, while also responding to workforces struggling with understaffing and insufficient resources to provide the care patients need.

Managers predominantly come from Allied Health or Nursing backgrounds and are currently covered by Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) which historically were paid more than their previous profession to reflect responsibility and hours required for this role. Recent pay equity settlements have delivered salary increases of more than 20% for their base professional groups, IEAs simply have not kept pace. Managers now have direct reports covered by collective agreements who are often paid more than them and have greater certainty about their terms and conditions.

Recent changes to Health New Zealand policies have reduced terms and conditions, including the loss of long-service leave for employees covered by IEAs. These changes have prompted the managers to collectivise and join APEX.

“Managers are working to improve the system while having no certainty about their own conditions. The whole health system benefits when there is fairness and equity between managers and those who report to them so that services run smoothly” concluded Denise Tairua.

ENDS

APEX Senior Advocate

Phone: 021827579

Email: denise@apex.org.nz

APEX represents General Managers, Group Managers, Operations Managers, Service Managers, Project Managers and Functional Managers with no direct reports who work at Waitematā District hospitals and clinics. These managers predominantly come from nursing or Allied Health backgrounds.

Examples include: