Lousy propaganda from the Herald
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7:23 am, August 31st, 2010 - 9 comments
Categories: health, Unions -
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The Herald’s top story today screams “Strikers’ Helpless Victims” and carries the story of a couple whose child has had elective surgery delayed because of industrial action.
Oh those dastardly unionists.
Problem is the couple don’t seem to have anything bad to say about the medical staff at all and, here’s the kicker, right down at the end of the story we find out that many of the staff have been suspended by the DHB for up to six days.
Perhaps a more accurate headline would have been “DHB/Government’s helpless victims”…
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Don’t let the truth get in the way of some good ol’ dog whistling and union bashing.
I don’t think there is a lot of Union bashing at all from the Heralds article but rather quite a tame article about how this industrial action is effecting people. My own family is currently dealing with the probability of my Grandmother dying after her operation last week was cancelled due to this strike.
I accept I have a vested interest however I think it is time that like the Police, Fire and Military essential services like health care (and associated providers) should be legally prevented from striking and procedures put in place that force mediation and where necessary independent decision making to settle the issue.
My own family is currently dealing with the probability of my Grandmother dying after her operation last week was cancelled due to this strike.
Both the DHB and the union have made it clear that the strike will not apply to life-threatening issues.
But George who makes the classification that it is is life threatening or not?
In my Grandmothers case the issue is a tumor the size of tennis ball located above (around) her eye. Her condition in itself probably isn’t life threatening however since Thursday (when her surgery had been scheduled for) her general condition has declined significantly. Medical staff are now advising us that due to the amount of deterioration to date and the rate it is occurring it unlikely that by the time they will be able to reschedule the operation (at this point they can’t confirm a date due to other more urgent life threatening operations required being scheduled) it is unlikely that she will be in a position to be able to survive the surgery.
Thats life, people die I accept that. However lets not pretend that strikes in the Health Sector don’t effect patients.
FIFY
Apart from life-threatening issues not being affected by strike action, any legal strait-jackets placed on workers in regard to striking rights should be balanced out by annual increases in line with inflationary and business and government rises.
Why not have the same authority that determines the pay of MPs and Judges and so on, determine the pay and conditions of our essential service workers? Would that work?
Sorry Blip but I disagree.
I feel that the main problem is that the Public Health system is currently trying to be all things to all people. As a result it has become a huge black hole that simply devours money. I’m sure you could pump 100% of NZ GDP into it and still those involved with the system would cry out for more.
Sooner or later NZ needs to have the debate about what exactly the public health system meant to cover and either fund it appropriately or be honest about what we can afford and accept the coverage it can offer with that level of funding. In the meantime government after government chooses to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that no matter how much/little money you give health it will continue to be able to do everything and nobody will be effected.