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Kia Ora Member,
From the reports we’ve received so far, this action is having a real impact. Next week it escalates further with the overtime and on-call ban. The polling we are doing shows really strong public support for addressing chronic and acute short staffing and meeting what nurses needs for the safe care of their patients.
The Government continues to refuse to listen to the frontline workers like nurses, despite them saving they value nurses. Standing united in carrying out this more advanced form of action is necessary to show the Government they have to change their position.
Next week we will talk further about next steps.
I want to acknowledge the NZNO Senior Nurses, Clinical Nurse Managers, and Duty Nurse Managers who are participating in the strike and the additional pressure they are facing. DNMs have to make difficult and often unpopular decisions in their everyday roles - and during this strike period, that has increased considerably.
These members report that their workload has more than doubled as they work through contingency plans and ensure that any request for NZNO member assistance under Life Preserving Services (LPS) is truly the last option after all other avenues have been exhausted. This is challenging mahi, and they are doing it while standing alongside the rest of the membership in this action.
If you are asked to redeploy or work additional hours
The right to strike is a fundamental right under New Zealand employment law. Any request to a member to change duties or work areas or to work additional hours during the strike period is asking the member to break the strike.
If you are asked to redeploy to another ward or work additional hours you should seek advice and support from the delegate or the union. Resources to support NZNO members on strike to make these decisions are linked below.
Report when you are asked to provide LPS
NZNO is asking members to report when they are asked to provide LPS through the strike period. The link to the online reporting form is here.
If the workplace is unsafe
Some members have asked how to respond if their workplace is unsafe. The Health and Safety at Work Act allows for workers to respond to situations of imminent danger by ceasing unsafe work. Key information follows:
- The fact the worker(s) believes something is unsafe provides protection under the Act (even if the employer tries to argue the toss later).
- Each individual worker can exercise this right to cease work individually.
- A Health and Safety Rep trained with unit standard 29315 can direct the workers to cease unsafe work - this can be done to the affected group of workers.
- The workers ceasing/refusing should make it clear they are available to do other safe duties, just not the tasks/duties they believe to be unsafe – this prevents the argument of abandonment of employment etc.
- The duty of the care is the duty to act carefully not the duty to sacrifice yourself at all costs.
Download the NZNO advice for members "Cessation of unsafe work" for more information. You can also read the relevant section of the Health and Safety at Work Act here.
If workers believe their workplace is unsafe but the situation is not one of imminent danger, there are other avenues available to act collectively in order to resolve this with the employer. Please contact the MSC or your organiser if you need more information about this.
Daily Q&A sessions for members
If you have questions we will be running drop-in Q&A sessions each weekday through the strike period.
Spread the word - share your photos and images of the strike
Share photos of NZNO members on strike on social media and tag NZNO, or send your best photos and short videos to campaigns@nzno.org.nz
Support firefighters on strike Friday 21 and 28 November
Firefighters will be taking strike action at 12pm this coming Friday 21 November and Friday 28 November. Find details of actions here and come along and support if you can.
Building our power
Make sure everyone in your work area who can be an NZNO member is with us. Only NZNO members can go on strike. The link to join is here.
Ngā mihi,
Paul Goulter, Chief Executive Officer
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO
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