Anglican Family Care Centre staff are taking industrial action because of a pay dispute.
Twenty-five staff in Dunedin and South Otago had voted in favour of seven industrial actions, including a two-hour strike, pickets of board meetings, and working to rule, the Public Service Association said.
Dunedin PSA organiser Jon Henning said the Anglican Family Care Centre offered clients budgeting advice, but a refusal to pay a fair wage meant its own staff could need the assistance.
''The PSA expects more compassion from an organisation dedicated to helping families thrive.
''Five months after bargaining began, Anglican Family Care are yet to agree to compensate staff for three years without even a cost-of-living increase.
''Anglican Family Care pays staff 40% less than people doing the same work for the Ministry of Social Development,'' Mr Henning said.
Anglican Family Care Centre director Nicola Taylor said the PSA request for a 3.5% increase had been turned down, but all staff received a performance-based pay boost averaging 2%.
Mrs Taylor said the organisation no longer received cost-of-living adjustments in its government contracts.
''These adjustments stopped in 2008, and so effectively our income from government contracts reduces every year.
''We note that the PSA has little understanding of the reality of the funding to the NGO sector, and continue to expect the same terms and conditions which prevail in the public sector,'' Mrs Taylor said.
The industrial action would ''have an impact'', but the organisation would continue to support vulnerable children and their families.
About half of the organisation's staff belonged to the PSA.
