Care workers strike in Christchurch, New Zealand
Jan 12 2008 02:31
Just got back from the picket line and wrote this up for Aotearoa Indymedia & LibCom. Photos are mine too 
Brackenridge Estate strike - Day 2
The second day of the strike at Brackenridge Estate, a Ministry Of Health run complex for the care of intellectually disabled adults, saw around 40 workers and their supporters on the picket lines, under shade from the 30 degree plus heat. Friday, the first day of the 48 hour strike, saw around 100 people on the lines.
The Brackenridge workers do not receive any overtime rates despite frequently working extra shifts to cover staffing shortages. They also do not receive any evening rates and only a minimal weekend allowance. Most of the 140 striking workers are members of the National Union of Public Employees, with some members of the NZ Nurses Organisation.
On Friday, a plumbing contractor showed his solidarity with the striking workers by refusing to cross the picket line. Saturday afternoon saw a scab, not-so-affectionately nicknamed Wayne "The Wanker" speed down the driveway into the Estate at an estimated 80km/h, almost hitting a young girl in the process.
Photos: Day 2
Links: Callout for support | National Union of Public Employees | NZ Nurses Organisation
Jan 12 2008 03:12
#2
Is there a preferred email address to send solidarity messages that will definately get to the workers Asher?
all the best.
gregg.
Jan 12 2008 04:32
#3
Aww sweet gregg!
Yeah thanks for this Asher; pretty inspirational stuff esp bearing in mind what a wrench it is for people who are carers to strike - it is good that they have some solidarity - my heart bleeds for the poor managers tho! 
Love
LW XX
Jan 13 2008 00:57
#4
grrregg - Not at this stage, nope.
They're back at work today, but from talking to them yesterday they were all pretty keen to go back out on strike if a real offer wasn't forthcoming soon, and possibly for longer than the 48 hours that this strike ran (some were talking 3 days, some indefinite). This strike was voted for by 97% of the workers, after refusing a ~5% payrise, and they seem to be standing pretty staunchly, I don't think that number will have gone down at all..
A few days before the strike, the manager took the admin staff (but not the carers!) out for dinner, and said (paraphrasing here) that the carers wouldn't strike because they didn't have the guts. Obviously that got back to the carers and only made them more angry! Being told that "assaults are just a part of your job" wouldn't have been the nicest thing for them to hear either!
Jan 13 2008 01:10
#5
Nasty bastard manager... I love it when stupid comments come back and bite management on the arse. Within the Human Services sector it it also quite common for management to use guilt as a tool to keep workers from speaking up about things. The things I have to look forward to 
If you have any more contact with the workers can you pass on my regards. Cheers.
all the best.
gregg.
Forgot to mention, the management have been sleeping in sleeping bags in their offices since Thursday night