Mental health workers told to 'get real' over pay bid

Mental health workers need to "get real" and accept the 20 per cent pay rise on offer, says a spokesman for the health boards.

Tairawhiti District Health Board chief executive Jim Green, who is leading negotiations on behalf of health boards over the collective agreement for mental health workers, said the offer was fair.

However, the union has rejected the deal, arguing it did not recognise the extra safety risks or fairly pay them for working weekends or overtime.

About 3000 nurses, represented by the Public Service Association (PSA), picketed 15 hospitals throughout New Zealand on Monday.

Pay negotiations between mental health workers and district health boards failed yesterday, and further strikes will be going ahead, the workers' union says.

PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff told NZPA last night that union members and DHB representatives would continue negotiations tomorrow.

"Not enough progress was made to withdraw the [industrial] action, but enough progress was made to continue talking."

Mental health workers will walk off the job again on Monday, and overtime bans will start in September, Mr Wagstaff said.

On Monday, 18 staff employed by the Lakes District Health Board walked off the job for 24 hours and picketed outside Rotorua Hospital, including community mental health workers and staff at the hospital's mental health inpatient unit, Whare Whakaue.

PSA delegate and Rotorua community mental health nurse Julie Galloway said staff were underpaid and overworked in a profession which was struggling to recruit and retain qualified nurses.

She claimed that as a result of staff shortages, the hospital had been forced to close two of its inpatient beds, reducing it from a 14-bed to a 12-bed unit.

Armourguard security officers had also been employed for several months to help staff the unit and cover for those taking sick or stress leave.

Striking workers said having unskilled officers filling specialist positions undermined the safety of mental health patients and other staff.

Compounding problems was the widespread use of drugs, such as methamphetamine (also known as P), which had swelled the number of mental health patients and increased risks for staff.

The Lakes District Health Board was unable to confirm how many beds were in the unit, and would not comment on whether Armourguard security staff had been employed.

Mental health service manager Mike Fitzgerald said union members were trying to "promote their case" during an industrial dispute, and he was not going to get involved in a public debate.

"Staff are aware that I am always happy to discuss any issues that they have and there are several forums available for them to do this."

He said there were no problems in the ward and the community's psychiatric emergency team was adequately covered during the strike.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)