NUPE Members Support Psa Strike In Child Youth & Family

“National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) members working for the Department of Child Youth & Family (CYF) are supporting nationwide industrial action in CYF, ” said NUPE Organiser John Kerr.

John Kerr said that NUPE members have been advised not to undertake the work of striking Public Service Association (PSA) workers. “NUPE members have contacted the union to ask what is their position if under contingency planning procedures they are asked to cover for the striking workers,” he said.

“NUPE advice is that our members do not undertake the work of striking employees,” said John Kerr. ‘In Auckland NUPE members took a democratic decision to join their PSA colleagues in taking strike action and joined the PSA on the picket line”.

“The Public Service Association covers social workers and support staff in CYF as does NUPE. Both unions are engaged in collective bargaining for significant pay increases for CYF workers”, said John Kerr.

“NUPE members in CYF are seeking a 30% catch-up wage rise for all CYF workers including clerical and administration staff who are often below the poverty line,” said John Kerr. “The Government needs to recognise that this issue results in part from raised expectations caused by the increases to nurses’ and doctors’ pay and to step in to prevent continuing disruption to services instead of continuing to wash their hands of their responsibility to all to staff and clients”, said John Kerr”

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