Redroofs staff to stop work

About 20 union members at Dunedin's Redroofs Rest Home in Maori Hill will stop work for two hours on March 1 to protest a 1% pay offer, Service and Food Workers Union advocate Alastair Duncan says.

Mr Duncan said Redroofs was one of 20 Oceania Group-owned homes taking the action, which is being jointly observed with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

All up, the group, New Zealand's largest rest-home operator, had 59 care facilities around the country, he said.

Mr Duncan said the strike was a big step for the workers, who were fed up with low wages that were no longer adequate to support families.

It was a "last resort" after eight months of bargaining, and he hoped early notice of the strike would prompt Oceania to reconsider its position. The union is seeking a 3.5% pay rise.

Mr Duncan said Oceania also proposed cutting overtime rates.

Asked for comment, Oceania Group chief executive Guy Eady sent a statement saying the company had actually offered 3%, which Mr Duncan said equated to 1% a year for three years.

Mr Eady was disappointed the union had taken the action, and said the company was still open to mediation.

 

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