Oranga Tamariki staff vote to strike, citing poor pay and conditions

Oranga Tamariki staff have voted to strike. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

Staff at Oranga Tamariki voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action against what they argue are low wages and unsafe workloads.

PSA members voted to reject a "disappointing" pay offer from management that they would have seen real wages go backwards in the environment of high inflation.

The action voted on included four strikes for PSA members covered by the collective agreement, beginning on the afternoon of Friday October 28.

The next strike would be exactly one week later and the final strike would be on Friday November 18 for an entire day.

PSA Lead Organiser Joe McCrory says staff need a real cost of living increase, and support for safer workloads.

"Oranga Tamariki will not successfully fulfil its purpose without addressing the elephants in the room - soaring vacancies, withholding recruitment, and failing to retain experienced kaimahi," he said.

PSA National Convenor Helen Foley said a better offer needed to be on the table, arguing the "current cost of living crisis makes the existing issues with recruitment and retention of staff even more difficult to manage".

PSA Hinonga Māngai Māori (National Rūnanga Convenor) Bronny Pegler said the organisation would struggle to keep vital support for communities without better pay and recognition of "cultural leave".

Minister Kelvin Davis said that he understood "Oranga Tamariki is engaged in a collective bargaining process".

"My expectation is for the parties involved to work constructively to a resolution to avoid a disruption to services.

"The negotiation is between the two parties involved and I cannot comment further at this time," he said.