Simeon Brown: Health Minister explains why he called for Heath NZ and the union to go to arbitration

The Health Minister's admitting his decision to request Heath NZ and the senior doctors union go to arbitration is unusual. 

Heath NZ's agreed to participate in arbitration in an effort to resolve 12 months of collective agreement negotiations. 

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists is yet to respond. 

Minister Simeon Brown says his request comes after the union indicated it's looking at striking.

"I guess it's unusual in that I'm asking both parties to come to the table. I've formally written to them, but I have been saying for some time that we have to negotiate these deals. Striking's not the answer."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Health Minister Simmy and Brown stepped in to sort out
the senior doctor strike. He's told both Health New Zealand
and the Senior Doctors' union to go to mandatory arbitration
to settle their seemingly endless paid dispute. Health New Zealand
has agreed, Senior Doctors haven't. Simon Brown has with meen
our high Saman.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good evening, Heather.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
This is unusual from a minister to step in like this,
isn't it.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, it's been going on for twelve months now. Both
parties have not been able to come to an agreement.
The latest offer from Health New Zealand was rejected by
the union on Monday, and the union decided to immediately
ballot its members to go to strike later this month.
My view is that's going to be detrimental two thousands

(00:40):
of patients who've been already waiting too long for care,
and so I've asked both parties to agree to binding
arbitration so that we can settle this without having further strikes. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Can I just clarify though with you, because I've been
told ministers don't do this, So is it unusual?

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Well, I guess it's unusual in that I'm asking both
parties to come to the part come to the table.
But I have been saying that for some time, so
I've formally written to them, but I have been saying
for some time actually that we have to negotiate these deals.
Striking is not the answer. But look, this is a
pathway through. I've invited both parties to take part in

(01:18):
that with an independent arbitrator. I'm pleased at Health New
Zealand has agreed to that. I've provided a deadline of
four pm tomorrow for the parties to come back to me.
But ultimately this is about ensuring we can find a
way through where this is settled and agreed without dragging
on and without further impacts on patients who've already been

(01:40):
waiting too long for the care that they need. Weight
lists of ballooned. We're making good progress this year with
reducing those weight lists. We' seeing some good progress, particularly
with our elective boost. But if we have further strikes,
that is going to mean those weight lists will go
in the wrong direction. So we're trying to we're trying
to get away through this.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
Listen, is that enough time? Four pm tomorrow? Because where
as I understand the union is still balancing its members
as to whether to strike, So they're not going to
have enough time to go to their members to ask
whether to go to final arbitration, are they.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, Look, ultimately, that's a question you'd have to put
to the union. I'm trying to urt a strike. If
they were to strike, patients would start having their bookings
canceled from late next week. And so we have timers
of the essence to actually agree a pathway through which

(02:28):
does not require further strikes and further cancelation of care
for patients. So we have acted quickly. Time is of
the essence to ensure that patients can be put first
and that we can deal with this and make it
get find a way through and reach an agreement without
further strikes and impacts on patients.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
So me and thank you very much for your time.
Simmy and Brown are the Health Minister. Helen Duplicy Allen.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
For more from Heather Duplicity Alan Drive, listen live to
news talks.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.