Coast Allied workers strike

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

West Coast allied health workers made the case for a better pay deal by mounting two public pickets in Greymouth on Monday.

The allied workers cover 23 professions and 120 West Coast District Health Board union members.

Their 24-hour strike from 11.59pm resulted in two pickets today, at the Te Nikau Hospital and the Greymouth Town Square.

The workers are also on a 12-day 'work to rule' period until this Friday.

DHB therapeutic, rehabilitation, laboratory, occupational therapy and diagnostic services and other clinical support services and Hauora Māori, are all affected.

The dispute has been ongoing for 20 months as allied professionals seek pay parity.

Greymouth allied health worker Rudolf Van der Geest said the Employment Relations Authority recently put a proposal to DHBs to settle but the boards had waited until last Friday to respond, and had still not said what was on the table.

"This is a protest that has been going on for 20 months now. It takes 20 months to have to go to the ERA to get mediation -- still, nothing.

"The sad reality is more people will leave."