Same-day doctor’s appointments a nonsense

Same-day doctor’s appointments a nonsense say West Coast workers

A group of West Coast workers have spoken out against National’s weakening of work rights, saying that trying to get a same-day doctor’s appointment for a minor ailment was a joke.

National’s employment proposals include requiring a doctor’s certificate for just one day off sick, if requested by an employer.

“Everyone thought this was a ridiculous scenario,” said National Distribution Union (NDU) Southern Region Secretary Paul Watson, who convened a meeting of workers in Greymouth this morning.

“Workers today said that it can take up to 3 weeks on the West Coast to get a doctor’s appointment. They thought this proposal from the National Party would just see workers clogging up the accident and emergency room.”

NDU General Secretary Robert said that this view was echoed by workers in others regional areas like Whakatane and Gisborne, where similar meetings have taken place over the past fortnight.

The West Coast workers were taking part in a series of meetings to discuss proposed changes to employment law. For the next two weeks up to 3,000 members of National Distribution Union in the retail, logistics, wood and textile industries will attend stop work meetings across New Zealand.

Further meetings are also being held in Nelson on Thursday, and Blenheim and Palmerston North on Friday.

ENDS

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