15 August 2013:

Staff at Ranfurly House residential aged care home and hospital have voted to take strike action over the callous actions of their employer. Ranfurly Care Limited are threatening staff with redundancy if they don’t accept the loss of conditions and holidays, and pay cuts of up to $100 per week.

The first picket will take place from 2.30 – 4.30pm on Thursday 15 August outside Ranfurly House, 539 Mt Albert Road, Three Kings, Auckland.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) industrial adviser David Wait says, “Staff at Ranfurly House are barely earning a living wage as it is – they will be forced below the poverty line if these cuts are implemented.”

“Some staff at the aged care facility have worked there for over 30 years. It is shameful that they are being treated like this. These people do an amazing job caring for the mostly war veteran residents. They understand the special care required to care for people who have suffered trauma and loss.”

“The work these carers and nurses do is highly specialised. It is valued by the residents. Any reduction in conditions will undermine and destabilise the nursing profession. NZNO finds it difficult to understand how the owners have such little concern for their greatest asset, their staff.”

Mele Makas is an NZNO delegate who works at Ranfurly House. She is worried that if the cuts go ahead it will affect the families of all the staff at Ranfurly, “We already struggle to pay our bills. If they cut our pay packets by $100 a week we will not be able to keep up with our rent and we won’t be able to put enough food on the table.”

“The work we do is important. It is not right or fair for our bosses to do this. We hope our industrial actions will change their minds.”