Hospital lockout goes back to Court

Locked out hospital workers will take their case back to the Employment Court tomorrow, Monday, arguing that the nine day lockout by Spotless Services is illegal.

Service and Food Workers Union spokesperson Alastair Duncan says the union will argue that the lockout notice is fundamentally flawed.

"At the core of the case is a demand by Spotless that unless a significant number of union members waive their right to strike, then all the workers can be locked out.

"Our members have rejected that demand and as a result have all been locked out," says Alastair Duncan.

"Spotless has wrapped up the brutality of a lockout with unprecedented and spurious argument.

"Spotless has engaged in a fundamental breach of our members rights and we will be asking the court to overturn the lockout and award full back pay."

The union has also criticized Spotless for its attempt to cite health and safety reasons as justification for the lockout.

"The District Health boards have been very clear that our members do not carry out the life preserving category of work required to provide cover during industrial action.

"Spotless knows this and is engaged in a ham-fisted attempt to dress up the ugliness of a lockout with a veneer of crocodile tears"

The case will be heard in Auckland on Monday.

ENDS

www.sfwu.org

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