Spent more time than normal listening to National Radio today. A parade of medical professionals all declining to discuss “industrial issues” but dumping on colleagues who are asking to work 5 hours longer a week and get time in lieu for a couple of days professional development a year – the way others at the hospitals do.
A DHB paid liar made a hash of attacking the union.
But the whole situation is horrible. Patients are caught in the middle and while there won’t be life lost delays will cause pain and add to the the waiting lists for elective procedures for months to come. And the costs of private Xrays and scans are too high for most families.
It is a classic case of an uneven relationship leading to out of proportion consequences when labour is withdrawn.
Similar to situation pre 1893 when we introduced legislation that included arbitration. Law based on fairness and ability to mount a case – not out muscle the other side.
Maybe it is time to revisit arbitration as a tool for sorting disputes.
Trevor, Pre 1893? I doubt it me old mate.
Pre 1893…
Not trying to rewrite history I hope
or 1894 maybe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Conciliation_and_Arbitration_Act_1894
I guess you mean “We” referring to NZ not “We” in regards to Labour then
Well, thanks Trevor. It is true that you learn something every day!
Interesting to read your Wikipedia link. What an incredibly innovative government that Liberal Government was. Fascinating too how the Liberals eventually broke up to form other loose coalitions eventually resulting in the political parties we recognise today. Makes me wonder why we still persist with political labels such as ’socialist’ and ‘tory’ which have no relevance in this country today. I am determined now to pick up Michael King’s ‘History of New Zealand’ again. I will read it properly this time instead of skimming.
@Richard – can I be your mate too?
(Yep, I’ve had quite a bit to drink 
)
@Trev – I feel sorry for the patients too
BTW – I’m impressed with the good nick you are in for a dude of over a 100, did you learn to ride on a penny father?
Off thread despite your attempt Trevor
Off thread Trevor
Off thread Trevor
BLiP I may do a post on which your ideas are on thread – but if you continue off thread comments you won’t be able to comment. Trevor
I just heard TV3’s emotive story about the radiographers’ strike… as expected from TV3 – that is, not good…
Deb
Yeah, I just saw that as well. Blame all the worry on the radiographers rather than the DHB managers where it belongs. More highly biased political broadcast from our MSM.
Good luck to them…
They not that bad off but a once per cent pay rise is a little low. Its below inflation.
Its not about the pay its about the conditions. I suspect there are going to be more and more and more strikes, in not just health but also education. Suspending people for working to rule is in bad faith and is what has led to the strikes upping in intensity. Imagine if all the junior doctors started to work to rule and actually took meal breaks, didn’t stay on for an hour or more at the end of their shifts etc etc. There is a shortage of radiographers in NZ so they are in a strong bargaining position. If hospitals have wait lists for their services and they want to increase their working week from 35 to 40 hours a week, surely that makes sense! Of course it will cost more, but earlier diagnosis and earlier treatment saves more money long term. It is another short sighted saving money now decision by DHBs constrained by the Govt insisting they save money whilst decreasing wait lists…
I remember the 2 child cancer specialists who were recruited to Welly Hospital handed in their notices only a few months later. And it wasn’t because of the pay, it was because of screwy management culture. Surely that kind of management culture has overplayed its Too Big To Fail hand once too many. Oh wait…
We clean their offices, cook their meals, teach their children, take their x-rays and guard them while they sleep.
And they’re still stupid enough to want to **** with us.
OT: the radiographers need to hire a crosby textor.
@Loota: “I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need. We’re the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War’s a spiritual war… our Great Depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won’t. And we’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off.”
Well, this is starting to look like a case of “over” managed. Over managed always led to screwed up work conditions.
I know, I work in a place that is over managed.
To many manages, many of them don’t work and what worse, not even qualified for the job, they don’t even know who to do our jobs!
Maybe this is what happening in this case.
“screwy management culture’ indeed.
Yeah that movie quote is brilliant, DeepRed.
RutB – there are organisations around Dunedin which are so top heavy with high salaried staff (who knows what they are actually doing, but not the core work of their organisations anyways) its not even funny. Just very expensive.
The class culture of management, them and us.
@Loota
It also wasteful, and its both a government and private sector problem. How this has occured I honstely do not know, but I think it something to do with “cover my ass” and “can’t trust the workers” culture, and these mangers are probably really good at spinning BS.
They talk about lifting productivity and ecominco growth, a obese man can NEVER be a world class sprinter.
No, but I’d like to see him try