Labour’s Health Policy Puts Finger On The Problem

The Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota has welcomed The Labour Party’s health policy.

“The policy puts its finger on the big problem in health, which is the gap between health outcomes for rich and poor,” said SFWU National Secretary John Ryall.

The SFWU represents over 23,000 workers in a range of low-paid work, including cooking, care-giving, cleaning and food processing.

John Ryall said the problems for working families on low incomes included the big gap in life expectancy within our population between the wealthy and the poor.

“What is needed to address the problems in health is recognition that higher wage rates and greater equality of incomes will lift our overall health outcomes,” he said.

John Ryall said SFWU welcomed Labour’s assurance that a greater proportion of health funding would be spent on children, including free 24 hours a day, seven days a week access for under sixes, without cutting other services to deliver this commitment.

Also important for working families was Labour’s commitment to addressing the 44% of New Zealanders who don’t have access to dental care, starting with pregnant women.

AUTHORISED BY SERVICE AND FOOD WORKERS UNION, 35-39 GEORGE STREET, KINGSLAND, AUCKLAND

ENDS

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