Mental health and addiction support workers have secured a major employment victory after more than five years of industrial dispute, forcing Dunedin-based charity Able Minds to abandon its push to introduce controversial 90-day trial periods for new employees.
Members of the Public Service Association (PSA) have ratified a new collective employment agreement, bringing an end to a prolonged dispute that began after their previous agreement expired more than five and a half years ago.
At the centre of the dispute was Able Minds’ proposal to introduce 90-day trial periods, which would have allowed the employer to dismiss eligible new employees during their first three months without the usual right to challenge the dismissal through a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal.
Workers refused to accept the provision, maintaining their opposition through years of negotiations, mediation, Employment Relations Authority facilitation and public rallies.
The eventual settlement excludes the disputed trial periods, marking a significant victory for collective bargaining in the mental health and addiction support sector.
PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says the outcome demonstrates the determination of frontline workers who stood together to protect employment rights despite years of uncertainty.
The union argues that 90-day trial periods create insecurity for employees and can discourage workers from speaking up about workplace concerns, particularly in sectors where vulnerable people depend on consistent, high-quality care.
The workers provide essential mental health and addiction support to individuals and whānau across Dunedin, Oamaru, Invercargill and Central Otago.
Many are relatively low-paid despite working in demanding roles supporting people experiencing mental distress, addiction and significant social challenges.
The PSA says the dispute also raises broader questions about employment protections in Aotearoa, particularly following legislative changes allowing all employers to use 90-day trial periods for eligible new employees.
While the provisions remain lawful, the union maintains that employers should not automatically impose them, particularly in health and community services where workforce stability and trust are critical.
The settlement follows sustained community support, including rallies attended by local supporters and Members of Parliament.
For workers, the new agreement represents more than the resolution of a long-running employment dispute. It reinforces the role of collective bargaining in protecting employment conditions and ensuring frontline support staff have greater job security.
The PSA has signalled it will continue campaigning against 90-day trial periods in other workplaces.
The outcome also highlights the ongoing pressures facing Aotearoa’s mental health and addiction workforce, where recruitment, retention, fair pay and employment security remain important issues for workers and the communities they serve.
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