Industrial action in two Dunedin rest-homes is planned in the next two weeks, as part of ongoing action related to pay disputes.
Union members at Radius Fulton Care Centre in Dunedin, and at 10 other facilities around New Zealand, will hold short stoppages on Friday, March 30, from 6.55am until 9.05am, and Thursday, April 5, from 8.30am until 10.30am.
New Zealand Nurses Organisation Dunedin organiser Simone Montgomery said workers at Dunedin's Redroofs Rest Home would also take action on April 5.
Workers voted in late January to strike for up to eight hours to protest a 1.72% pay rise offer.
Service and Food Workers Union Dunedin organiser Ann Galloway said then the industrial action also related to a pay dispute from the 2010 collective agreement, which the union said was not properly settled, a claim disputed by Radius.
Radius chief executive Brien Cree said yesterday the action would not affect the standard of care for the elderly.
Radius had only been allocated 1.73% in fee increases from the Government to fund any wage increase.
It could only fund larger pay hikes by reducing costs elsewhere, lowering the level and standard of care for its residents, something it would not do.
"There are sufficient numbers of non-union staff at Radius Care facilities to ensure normal levels of care and service are provided for residents during these stoppages."
