The St Johns Industrial Dispute – #HealthyAmbosSaveLives
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- Date published:
10:43 am, January 7th, 2017 - 51 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, class war, health and safety, jobs, labour, national, same old national, Social issues, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, Unions, wages, workers' rights, you couldn't make this shit up -
Tags: first union, st johns
In 2015 the Government passed changes to the Employment Relations Act. Some of the changes were clearly ideological and designed to weaken the position of unions.
The Government pressed on with the charges even though Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O’Reilly said at the time that the balance of power between employers and employees is fine at it is. He also said that wage increases should match productivity and growth which is interesting as productivity has grown 45% since 1992 but wages growth is only 12%.
Labour strenuously opposed the changes at the time and said this in its minority report to the bill:
Labour Party members of the committee are opposed to the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. Most of the changes in the bill have been undertaken against the advice of officials, are contrary to New Zealand’s international obligations, and are a backwards leap in employment relationships towards the failed paradigm of the 1990s. The bill continues the flawed logic that employers, who at common law not only control the workplace but have the benefit of the implied duty of every employee to obey the employer’s instructions, somehow need more statutory tools to defeat the right of those who freely choose to join a union and exercise the legitimate benefits of belonging to a union, such as collective bargaining.
The effects of this bill will be to impact negatively on wages in general through a deliberate weakening of the already diminished bargaining strength of employees and the removal of protections for workers when they are most vulnerable. It will do nothing to improve the quest for high-skill, high-wage, and highly productive workplaces built on good-quality and mutually respectful employment relationships.
One of the changes was to allow parties to the Employment Relations Authority to declare that bargaining has ended. This is a powerful tool. All an employer has to do is ensure that bargaining has concluded then no improvements to wages or conditions can occur.
Another of the changes was to allow “proportionate pay reductions as a response to partial strikes”. This never made sense to me because if an employee decided to “work to rule”, that is do the minimum required under their employment contract, they could still have their wages cut even though they were doing what their contract required.
These are sorts of powers that Talleys salivated over and you would have thought they would have been the first employer to attempt to exercise this power. But instead it is St Johns Ambulance who has engaged in some pretty shady action in attempting to resolve an industrial dispute with its drivers who are wanting nothing more than better work life balance and slightly better pay.
The essence of the dispute is that First Union is seeking for its members a 2% pay rise and extended leave benefits. If you read the Ambulance Professionals First Facebook page there are harrowing tales of work place conditions. The work is highly stressful and requiring officers to work 9 hour shifts without a break and to send single crews to emergencies is unfathomable.
The details of what the Ambulance drivers are seeking are set out in the healthyambossavelives.nz website:
Healthy Ambos Save Lives is a campaign promoting adequate funding and use of funds for the Ambulance Service operating across New Zealand. We believe in an effective public healthcare system that works in the interests of New Zealanders.
Ambulance Professionals provide fast and skilled care to the community; they are there, often at the most traumatic times of our lives. Ambulance Professionals need a work environment that allows them to perform at their best at all times.
Fighting fatigue:
- Healthy Ambos Save Lives is about Ambulance Professionals receiving rest and meal breaks to ensure that they are fit to make the right decisions on the job to save lives.
- Healthy Ambos Save Lives is about hours of work being realistic, workable and safe.
Supporting Wellness:
- Healthy Ambos Save Lives is about Ambulance Professionals receiving suitable time to spend with family and friends.
- Healthy Ambos Save Lives is about recognising the impact on Ambulance Professionals’ emotional and mental wellness from their line of work.
Safe and skilled staffing levels:
- Healthy Ambos Save Lives is about all Ambulances being fully crewed with skilled staff so that patients get the best care possible and Ambulance Professionals are safe in vulnerable situations.
- Healthy Ambos Save Lives is about ensuring all Ambulance Professionals in New Zealand are fairly rewarded for the service they provide.
Healthy Ambos Save Lives is an Ambulance Professionals First campaign initiated by FIRST Union.
To further their campaign the workers are wearing a t-shirt with the URL of the campaign website while they are working. St Johns has chosen to dock workers 10% of their wages if they wear these T shirts instead of a high visibility vest. How can that be proportionate? And what is it that causes employers to be so worried about t-shirts?
St Johns has also applied to withdraw from bargaining without concluding a collective agreement with First Union and has the dubious distinction of being the first employer ever to do so.
From Newstalk ZB:
… First Union maintains it has received confirmation that St John has applied to the Employment Relations Authority to withdraw from bargaining, without coming to a collective agreement.
“It was a foolish move by St John,” First Union spokesperson Jarod Abott said. “It goes to show the true mentality of their current management. It’s quite disappointing.”
Abbott believes it’s unlikely they’ll be successful, because if they are they’ll be the first company to be under the new Employment Relations Act.
“There’s really no evidence from them that they’ve tried to actually settle with us,” he said. “In fact some of the issues on the table haven’t even been discussed yet.”
Last month, paramedics told Newstalk ZB that under-staffing and single-crewing in certain areas was leading to patients dying “on a regular basis”.
“Your eyeballs are hanging out and you know it’s all about chasing numbers not about getting the right care to people,” one officer said on condition of anonymity. “That’s really frustrating and demoralising.”
St John’s problem is that its income is fairly well static although with assets of $263 million as at June 2015 the organisation does not appear to be that broke that it cannot afford to treat its employees properly.
What can you do? There is a petition Health Ambos Save Lives that you can sign and a strike fund you can pay into. And you should let St Johns know what you think of its actions.
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A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...2 days ago
- Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch
National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...2 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...2 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
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- Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill
The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...5 days ago
- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...1 week ago
- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon
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The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...1 week ago
- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...1 week ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
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The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
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- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Child Protection Investigation Unit established
A new Child Protection Investigation Unit is being established to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in care, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “The report released by the Royal Commission into abuse in state care shows us all the risk of not acting immediately when there are serious ...35 minutes ago - Record number of submissions received on granny flat proposal
Nearly 2,000 submissions have been received on the Government’s proposals aimed at making it easier to build a granny flat of up to 60 square metres without a resource or building consent, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “This is the highest number ...3 hours ago
- District Court Judge appointed
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Rebecca Guthrie as a District Court Judge. Judge Guthrie was admitted to the bar in 1997 following her graduation from the University of Canterbury in 1996 (LLB, BA). She commenced her legal career in Hastings in 1997 before moving to London in ...3 hours ago
- Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050
The latest Predator Free 2050 Board appointments will help to strengthen biodiversity efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. Mr Potaka today announced two appointments to the Board of Directors of Predator Free 2050 Limited, a key player in the wider Predator Free 2050 Programme. “The Predator ...4 hours ago
- New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...4 hours ago
- Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...5 hours ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...22 hours ago
- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...22 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...23 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...23 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...23 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...1 day ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
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- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
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- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...1 day ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
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- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...1 day ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...1 day ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
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Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
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Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
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- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
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- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
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- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
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- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
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- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
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- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
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- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
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- Health survey results to help drive change
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- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
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- New diplomatic appointments
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- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
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- Red Tape Tipline goes live
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- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
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- Police stats show promising change
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- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
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- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
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- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
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The committee plans to hold hearings in the week starting Monday, 27 January and the weeks starting 10, 17 and 24 February 2025. ...3 hours ago
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It comes as Labour accuses National of not listening to evidence about boot camps. ...4 hours ago
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A man abused by a former political figure is "immensely relieved" at a government proposal to end secrecy around sex offenders' identities. ...9 hours ago
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St John’s Ambulances perform an essential public service. They should be adequately funded, and the workers should have fair pay and conditions so they can do a good job, plus have good work-life balance.
And the 10% docking of wages for a t-shirt really does seem brutal and intimidation.
The Natzi’s employment law changes as in MS’s post, need to be repealed by a left government.
This is what you get when you use a charity to run an ambulance service.
St John’s have shown themselves time and time again that they are not up to the job, making people wait hours in pain for a ambulance to come, putting people on hold or playing phone tag, screwing their workers over, charging people exorbitant amounts so its for them cheaper to take a taxi, so on a so forth.
Time for St Johns to stick to providing Zambucks at rugby games and for a proper publicly owned national ambulance service, run along the lines of the FDNY to be set up.
Might put a few members of the blazer brigade’s noses out of joint, but who cares what they think.
I agree with Millsy.
I don’t have any personal knowledge of the StJ failings you mention. But I do think, as the ambulance service is an essential public one, it should be directly state funded and managed public service.
The neoliberal ethos has been to diminish public services, and encourage outsourcing to NGOs and/or privatisation. This results in poor services for the majority, while the wealthiest get the best services, and siphon off the profits.
I agree CN. I have never understood why the ambulance service and the helicopter air ambulance services are not 100% government funded. Further, why does Starship hospital go begging for donations?
“…I don’t have any personal knowledge of the StJ failings you mention..”
Google “St John failings”. You will get article after article where this organisation has stuffed up.
Hmmm… I had to narrow the search down more because some of the links were to UK sources about something other than ambulance services.
I added ambulance to the search, narrowed it to NZ. Then I found most of the articles are a few years old. Narrowing it further to the last year, brought up articles about failings of other services or people, where the St J ambulance services were also mentioned.
Doesn’t seem to me evidence of systemic failings of the St John’s service in recent years – certainly not the past year.
Yep.
Charity is just another way the National Party destroys the commons. Whenever you hear that someone “gives generously to charity” the first question to ask is what crimes they’ve committed. cf” John Gotti.
Yep ambulance, rescue helicopter, and fire services all need to be properly funded directly from central government and not reliant on charity and insurance premiums as in the case of fire brigades.
i would add surf life saving to that list
yes agree too.
All emergency services.
Salaries directly funded from central government. Like teachers, police, armed forces, etc all those working in essential and emergency services should come under the umbrella of public service, and be funded properly as such.
While we are at it we should also add to the list those working in such areas as Child Abuse prevention, Woman’s Refuge, et al. Care givers of all types (disabled, aged, child, etc), All such workers provide fundamental services in a fully functioning and equitable society. If a government is serious about the care of all of its citizens and not just the chosen few, then it would ensure that all needs are catered for, and that essentially boils down to adequate funding.
Y’all might be interested in how ambulance services are funded…
http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/key-health-sector-organisations-and-people/naso-national-ambulance-sector-office/emergency-ambulance-services-eas/joint-ministry-health-and-acc-funding-model-emergency-ambulance-services
“ACC’s portion of these fixed quarterly payments is expected to cover 40% of the total costs of the services. The Ministry of Health’s portion makes a sizeable contribution towards, but does not fully cover the other 60% of service costs. The two providers of emergency road ambulances – St John and Wellington Free – raise the rest of the funding needed (around 18%) to cover their total costs through part charges to service users (for non-injury related conditions), donations from the community, and sponsorships. ”
Includes a handy wee chart of total government expenditure up to 2013/14.
Also of interest might be… http://www.wfa.org.nz/ the Welington Free Ambulance Service.
It’ll be well worthwhile to also take a gander at this page from the Miserly’s website…http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/key-health-sector-organisations-and-people/naso-national-ambulance-sector-office/emergency-ambulance-services-eas/review-funding-arrangements-emergency-road-ambulance-services
….and perhaps download and read the Terms of Reference for the Review.
“Objectives
The objective of the funding review is to advise the Director General of the Ministry and Chief Executive of ACC on government funding arrangements of emergency road ambulance services that:
a) deliver a high quality emergency ambulance system, at good value for money
b) encourage effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation
c) incentivise better health outcomes and broader health system performance
d) provide greater fiscal certainty and reduced fiscal risk for government and service providers
e) provide for necessary investment in ambulance communications infrastructure
f) are affordable short-term and sustainable longer-term.”
Methinks, perhaps there is a wee pissing contest going on twixt the Miserly and St John’s….the warm bodies doing the actual work are caught in the middle.
(Similar thing happened in the disability providers sector a few years back…profits to the providers could not be maintained under the then funding model…and the pesky care workers were taking legal action to get fairer pay…if I remember rightly the Provider’s representative organisation basically told the MOH where it could stick it’s new contracts.)
And the end of the day..it is us..Kiwis…citizen user’s of these largely taxpayer funded health services that pay the price.
Bill English’s model of doing less with less is a failure!
Maybe he should think the likes of Ambulances. police, health, children, state housing etc, etc deserve the funding boosts his spy agencies received.
Where is the levy on the Alcohol industry?
Alcohol related incidents, (not accidents) make up a fair bit of business for Ambulance services, police and hospitals. It is about time one of National’s favourite donors started paying up their fair share to fund a service that is a direct result of the poison they peddle!
You really want to encourage a National government to embark on an accountability model of funding for ambulance services? I can guarantee you wouldn’t like the result.
A very good point Keith
There is already an excise tax on alcohol in recognition of the harm it causes. It might not be enough, but the mechanism is already there.
Yes but does it go completely into emergency services and alcohol rehab treatment etc, I think not, it goes into the consolidated fund where they waste it on junkets overseas and business class flying throughout the year. It should be allocated and ring fenced completely to emergency services and front line workers pay packets.
Just another example of National and Labour governments and where they stand on a fully funded ambulance service.
Concerning this action by St John and the impact on widely respected and trusted paramedics and the serious duty they discharge it has the potential to be a highly emotive issue where the public is concerned.
No surprises at the lack of interest by the corporate media and ZB with their right wing stance which will only be paying lip service to the paramedics plight which in itself is an insult.
Also the underlying ” changes” to the employment relations act is under National governments is always intended to weaken workers rights and is another opportunity for Labour to come out and show it wants strong protections for hard working kiwis that make a real difference to peoples lives and a change in government will make that a reality.
Where are you on this issue Andrew Little and Labour ?
This law was always designed to allow employers to put up a brick wall and refuse to negotiate. It’s an appalling piece of legislation, and it fits into a pattern: giving employers the right to refuse union officials access to the workplace, the 90 Days Act, clawbacks on rest and meal breaks (the employer doesn’t need to provide these if it’s “unreasonable”), removing the 30 days rule that used to allow new employees to begin with under conditions equivalent to the provisions of the collective agreement, allowing employers to opt out of multi-employee agreements before bargaining has even begun… It’s been a slow and steady drip, drip, drip – disempowering workers and discouraging collective bargaining and unions.
Labour strenuously opposed the changes at the time…
Which is why I find it annoying when people peddle bullshit about there being hardly any difference between Labour and National. There is a difference, and a lot of ordinary people get to experience the results of that difference in very direct ways.
Thanks
I added it in because no doubt someone would say “what did Labour do about it?”
The dissenting opinion is bang on the money and disturbingly accurate.
“Labour strenuously opposed the changes at the time”
And from that can we take it Labour have committed to overturn it if in power?
@Psycho Milt
Strenuously opposing is nothing more than paying lip service if it’s not followed up by a commitment to overturn.
Labour often strenuously oppose, however they seldom commit to overturn.
Hey P M
I take it your comment was aimed at my blog.
I try to never peddle bullshit and i often write in support of the Labour party and give credit where its due.
My main point apart from the changes to the labour relations act which these bastards have introduced is that i want to see the party come out in support of the paramedics clearly and emphatically and remind the public of the way the legislation has been enforced here.
I think that would be timely with a service like this one that the public values and respects.
I have no question Labour was opposed to the changes and i want to see them make this a campaign issue and a clear plan to change it.
Why aren’t they just wearing the tshirt as well as the vest?
clawbacks on rest and meal breaks (the employer doesn’t need to provide these if it’s “unreasonable”)
To be honest, if I was in a plane that was about to land, I’d be a little nervous if the pilot said that he had worked 4 hours and was due a rest or meal break. It’s all about common sense.
If you’ve read the Employment Relations Act, you’ll know that if employers don’t provide breaks, then they must provide compensation. It needn’t be money, it could be time off.
s69ZEA
Compensatory measures
(1) An employer is exempt from the requirement to provide rest breaks and meal breaks in accordance with section 69ZD(1)—
(a) to the extent that the employer and the employee agree that the employee is to be provided with compensatory measures; or
(b) if paragraph (a) does not apply, only to the extent that, having regard to the nature of the work performed by the employee, the employer cannot reasonably provide the employee with rest breaks and meal breaks.
(2) To the extent that an employer is not required to provide rest breaks and meal breaks under subsection (1), an employee is entitled to, and the employee’s employer must provide the employee with, compensatory measures.
To be honest, your defence of this shit marks you as a low life.
My defence? I was simply pointing out that if employees don’t receive rest breaks, they’re entitled to compensation.
I withdraw my accusation that you are a low-life.
It’s entirely possible that you are simply ignorant or stupid.
Thanks for your positive contribution. At least you now have the benefit of knowing what the law is. One of us is less ignorant than we were.
I do not think it is unreasonable for a pilot to have a break after he lands a plane.
So you’re happy to have a hungry tired ambo, who’s been dealing with car crashes, drunks, OD’s and domestic violence all night long, looking after you at 4 am when you’ve just had a heart attack? Just as long as they’re getting an extra day off next week, should be ok then…right??
“(a) to the extent that the employer and the employee agree that the employee is to be provided with compensatory measures.”
And of course the employee’s opinion will be taken into account – yeah right.
Anyway, what I originally intended to say was that there is not a great deal saintly about St John’s ambulance anymore.
Reply to Ross:
1) Having flexibility about the timing of breaks isn’t the same as having no breaks.
2) Ever heard of co-pilots? What about autopilots? (Not for landing the plane, but for giving the pilot a break before this stage of things.)
This clause isn’t about public safety, it’s about saying that it’s OK for someone working alone in a shop (or a similar situation) to be stuck there all day with no break.
Anyway, it’s the pattern of changes I’m commenting on. Can you find some examples of changes to employment law under National that have favoured workers and strengthened collective bargaining?
You missed my point red blooded. I never said flexibility was the same as having no breaks. I said employees must – not should – be compensated if they cannot have breaks. But when breaks are taken is a matter of common sense.
Stupid it is then.
No dobt you’ve told your local MP and or the relevant minister what needs to change?
Having spent quite a bit of time doing work around all the different St Johns bases, this requiring officers to work 9-hour shifts without a break isn’t particularly factual.
Every St-Johns base I’ve visited has a lounge, with a TV, DVD, SKY etc as well as full kitchen facilities.
During a shift, a lot of time is spent watching TV etc waiting for the bell to go off, sure you don’t get a 15-minute smoko every couple of hours but you do get quite a bit of downtime, surely that downtime should be considered a break?
How long since you worked in the industry BM?
About 5 years ago.
Bye passing public servants to fund private enterprise is a dog act
waiting for the bell to go off is not a break.
signed partner of a voluntary first responder who has spend a many great days and nights on her own cause the bell went off.
and if the bell goes of three or four times a night and you run for your truck and honk your horn and go about business you get tired, you get hungry, you get dirty and you get sad many many times if you come to late.
Remind yourself every now and then that people are not 0 and 1. You don’t just plug in and out and lookit, it works again.
waiting for the bell to go off is not a break.
That’s the nature of the job, same as the police, same as the fire service.
If you struggle with that then maybe being an ambo isn’t for you.
Alternatively, your boss could well be an incompetent self-serving right winger who gives generously to charity.
If the job is the same as the police then it should be properly funded and supported. POlice officers have much better conditions of employment compared to Ambulance drivers.
There was a comment under one of the MSM stories to the effect that the St Johns paid a largish? fee overseas every year? Interesting but I couldn’t find a $ amount in on the website.
But they do have that large chunk of assets and practically no debt. The bulk of their revenue comes from the taxpayer or by way of local donations so they are funded by local people . Should we not be looking at the Charities Act so that locally sourced funds have to remain here (unless the charity clearly states that it is set up to provide overseas assistance (like the Red Cross).
I also wonder why we put so much in local funds into it to fund assets that are essentially put beyond local reach. Much like charter schools really.
Nor do we seem to be able to see the salary bands for the employees so we have no real idea how much the various top level staff & boards are taking.
There is $38 million in sundry expenses. It could be there. Shame the accounts were not broken down further.
Looks to me like a classic case of divide and rule. The workers and the charity are fighting each other while the mandarins smirk and sneer from above.
They should be working together to extort more money out of the Govt which looks to be ultimately responsible for their working conditions.
The trend under neo liberalism is to grind all working people down needing to work longer hours to make a living, being required to work longer, inconvenient, unplanned hours with dodgy rosters and abrupt changes that affect the lifeblood of their workers.
Then the pay is lower than it used to be in real terms, low inflation which is supposed to assist lenders, cannot be matched by employers they say, probably because of increased competition in private enterprise and underfunding in the public lack-of-service. The uncounted inflation that is involved with some aspects of housing floats off in the airy fairy stats that gummint likes to provide.
So ambulance officers, care workers are underpaid and overworked, maybe because the entities can’t get enough staff, which under the law of supply and demand, would then be rectified with incentives including higher pay. Did I saw ‘law’? When it comes to neo lib economics it works out that the entities supply what they want and then demand the gummint change the law to suit.
Volunteer fire people are increasingly called out to do police work. The management of the fire service treat them on a top-down management basis. The latest is that volunteer lifesavers are being called to do other work as well.
The attitude of the elites and the culture of the country’s management is screw everybody. Neolib economics says there is no such thing as kindly, helpful, community work that requires sacrificing time and personal enjoyment. No that economic theory says that because you get a good feeling from doing such things you receive recompense, a virtual payment. You don’t do it to share the burden and lighten the problems, even though you aren’t being paid you are receiving a reward of pleasure and satisfaction, as if you were pursuing a personal hobby.
So under that belief, St Johns and others have nothing to complain about. It’s easy when managers and the me generation accept the crooked logic of neo libs.
Some interesting links I found. Which are somewhat connected with the above.
An interesting economist who should be known about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen
Good coverage of economic trends.
https://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article757.html
Guide to the trends we are noticing in NZ – a USA model, not unexpected.!
http://www.govtech.com/health/5-Trends-Driving-the-Future-of-Human-Services.html
Here is a concise online book on economics which asks readers to pay something,
which is as fair as paying a proper wage, or not abusing people’s public service actions. http://www.garlikov.com/EPFE.html