Hundreds of frontline support workers employed by Nurse Maude are taking industrial action today, with the Public Service Association (PSA) saying the dispute centres on proposed reductions to sick leave entitlements and the failure to present a pay offer during collective bargaining.
The union says approximately 250 support workers across Canterbury will stop work as negotiations with the healthcare provider reach an impasse, raising fresh concerns about the treatment of workers delivering essential care to older people and those living with disabilities in their own homes.
The industrial action comes at a time when employment rights have become a major political issue, following the passage of the Government’s new Employment Leave Act and wider debate over workplace protections during the election campaign.
According to the PSA, Nurse Maude is seeking to reduce sick leave entitlements as part of negotiations for a new collective agreement while, at the same time, workers have yet to receive a formal pay offer.
The union says support workers continued providing essential services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and remain the backbone of community-based healthcare, assisting vulnerable New Zealanders with personal care, household support and maintaining independence in their own homes.
PSA National Sector Lead for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi, Chris Ollington, says members have reached the point where industrial action has become necessary after negotiations failed to deliver progress on the issues workers consider most important.
The union argues reducing sick leave sends the wrong message to healthcare workers who regularly care for vulnerable people. It says encouraging workers to remain at home when they are unwell protects both staff and the people they support, making adequate sick leave an essential workplace protection rather than simply an employment benefit.
The PSA also says the absence of a pay offer has further frustrated members amid continuing cost-of-living pressures, with workers seeking recognition for the increasingly complex and demanding nature of community-based care.
Home and community support workers play a critical role within New Zealand’s health system, providing services that help reduce pressure on hospitals and aged residential care by enabling people to remain safely in their own homes for longer.
The dispute also highlights broader workforce challenges facing the health sector, including recruitment, retention and growing demand driven by an ageing population.
Industrial action in the home support sector can have significant impacts on service delivery, although essential care arrangements are typically maintained to ensure vulnerable clients continue receiving critical support during strike action.
The latest dispute follows increasing tension across the wider employment landscape, with unions mounting campaigns over workplace rights, collective bargaining and employment conditions. The PSA has been at the forefront of several recent industrial and political campaigns, arguing that secure employment conditions are fundamental to maintaining quality public and community services.
Negotiations between the PSA and Nurse Maude are expected to continue, with the union expressing hope that meaningful progress can still be made towards a settlement that protects existing leave entitlements while recognising the value of the workforce through an appropriate pay offer.
The outcome of the dispute is likely to be closely watched across the health and aged care sector, where many employers are facing similar workforce shortages, rising costs and increasing demand for services.
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