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Kia Ora Member,
We're almost at the end of the second week of the Safe Staffing strike and NZNO members at Te Whatu Ora have held the line and refused to be redeployed to other areas or work additional hours to fill roster gaps caused by chronic understaffing.
Whangārei Hospital delegate Rachel Thorn spoke for many in this Radio NZ interview:
"Nurses are sick of being used as chess pieces by Health NZ, just slotted in wherever... This has given people a bit of a breather and a re-set to give them permission to say 'no' and push the responsibility for patient safety back uphill to management, where it should be."
You can also watch videos of NZNO delegates Grant Brookes and Nathan Clark talking about the Safe Staffing strikes on the NZNO Facebook and Instagram pages.
Safe Staffing Day of Visibility, Friday 28 November
Tomorrow, Friday 28 November, NZNO members are encouraged to round off two weeks of historic strikes with a Day of Visibility for Safe Staffing.
- Wear stickers
- Take photos of NZNO members standing together for Safe Staffing, post and share these on your social media pages and tag NZNO. You can also send your best photos to campaigns@nzno.org.nz
- Like and share NZNO social media posts on the NZNO Facebook and Instagram pages.
PSA members will be holding strike rallies outside many hospitals tomorrow from 1-2pm so please support them on a break if you can (details here).
The 17,000 PSA members on strike tomorrow include:
- Allied health workers (health based social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, scientists, anaesthetic technicians, kaiāwhina and more)
- Public Health and Mental Health Nurses
- Policy, Advisory, Knowledge, and Specialist Workers (IT workers, procurement specialists, public health planners, health promoters and more)
Firefighters will also be striking from 12-1pm details here. Please come out to support the firefighters if you're able to.
Use VRM/VIS traffic lights every time you are short staffed
The CCDM VRM system includes a traffic light system to indicate the level of unsafe staffing in each ward and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that steps out actions that should be taken to ensure the rapid return to safe staffing and protection of patient care. By following every step of the SOP, staff can accurately assess workload, escalate concerns, and ensure that risks are managed consistently.
It is critical that employees hold their employer accountable for responding to VIS yellow and orange alerts, as these signal rising staffing pressure and potential patient risk that require timely action. VIS red must be avoided at all costs because it represents unsafe conditions with a high potential for patient harm.
Using the VRM system properly safeguards both patients and staff, ensures transparency, and reinforces a culture of safety and accountability in health care. The flowchart provided by NZNO as a supportive resource for Te Whatu Ora nurses in the current strike reminds nurses that VRM tools provide an important safety alert system that should not only be used in this strike action but used every shift, on every ward every day to protect both nurses and their patients.
New members can strike
Members who join NZNO after the strike notice was issued and the strikes have gotten underway are able to participate. The strike notice is given on behalf of union members who are covered by the bargaining. So when someone joins NZNO, they become covered by the strike.
Report when you are asked to provide LPS
Remember to report when you are asked to provide LPS during the strike. Follow the QR code on the Purple Card to the online reporting form.
How have the strikes impacted your work area?
Tell us the impacts you see the Safe Staffing strikes having in your work area. Email campaigns@nzno.org.nz to let us know.
Resources and advice for members on 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.
If the workplace is unsafe
The Health and Safety at Work Act allows for workers to respond to situations of imminent danger by ceasing unsafe work. You can 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
The final Safe Staffing strikes Q&A drop in sessions will be held tomorrow Friday:
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. Members who join NZNO after the strike notice was issued are able to participate. The link to join is here.
Ngā mihi,
Paul Goulter, Chief Executive Officer
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO
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