Hospital kitchen workers are frustrated at the lack of information on proposed cost-cutting at Southern hospital kitchens.
The Southern District Health Board met Service and Food Workers Union members on Wednesday.
The SDHB claims $870,000 can be saved in the first year alone by privatising hospital kitchens.
Staff consultation was discussed at Wednesday's meetings, but details on the proposal remained scant, union organiser Anna Huffstutler said.
''We are still very much in the dark and our members are not very happy about the length of time it's taken to get the information,'' she said.
''Our members are very frustrated about the wait.''
The proposal was announced in mid-December and job losses are expected if privatisation goes ahead.
The SDHB had decided in principle to privatise its kitchens, but wants more information on the benefits before signing a contract.
Last month the Otago Daily Times requested details of the savings from Health Benefits Ltd, the Auckland company driving the privatisation.
However, the information was withheld on the basis of commercial sensitivity.
Miss Huffstutler said union members had no details of the savings or job losses.
''At the moment, we haven't received any information about the business case and aren't likely to until early February.''
When approached for comment yesterday about the meeting and privatisation proposal, SDHB women's and children's public health and support general manager Elaine Chisnall said, in an emailed statement, consultation would begin next month.
''We intend to involve the unions in planning the consultation process and have begun discussing this with them.''
Miss Huffstutler said the union was ''disappointed that they have decided to go through with the consultation''.
