Spotless Contingencies Working Well

Spotless Services Media Release

20 July 2007

Spotless Contingencies Working Well

Spotless Services has reported that, despite the current strikes by members of the SFWU, it is managing well through the use of covering staff.

Spotless Services employs 11,000 staff in New Zealand, of which 800 are currently on strike.

"Fortunately, Spotless is well prepared for this kind of industrial action. Covering staff have worked really hard and they are doing a wonderful job.

"Many covering staff are working extra shifts, and some have been moved around Spotless' different hospitals to cover the gaps," said Spotless Healthcare General Manager, Mark Russell.

"There have been the kind of challenges you expect with a strike, but overall the contingencies are working very well."

Spotless has still not received a response to its proposal to the union to withdraw its lock out notices if health and safety can be safeguarded, despite first making this proposal on Wednesday.

"As long as the union agrees to strike protocols to ensure patient, staff and visitor health and safety then we are willing to lift the lock out notices."

Russell also expressed disappointment that "Spotless workers are currently on strike for wages they've already been guaranteed".

Spotless has already made the following wage guarantees as a starting point for bargaining:

* that it will pass every cent of additional DHB funding onto its staff (and has agreed to auditing mechanisms to provide certainty)

* that every Spotless employee will receive, as a bottomline, comparable wages to DHB staff

* that every current Spotless employee will receive wages at least as high as DHB staff - with the opportunity for some to earn more.

Spotless also wants to discuss with the union a simple, targeted link between pay and skills that we believe is important for building staff capability and leadership qualities, which we see as good news for staff, Spotless and the productivity of the health sector. The union refuses to discuss this.

ENDS

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