Striking NZDF staff ‘pressured’

"It's totally about intimidation and bullying; what else would you call it?" Nick Kelly, PSA organiser

Defence Force staff striking amid pay negotiation breakdowns are feeling pressure to curb their strike activity.

About 30 people from Linton Military Camp and Ohakea Air Force base attended a strike in The Square in Palmerston North late last month, including logistics staff, catering, security guards and IT workers.

PSA organiser Nick Kelly said at Linton Military Camp some staff who participated in the strike had a letter waved in front of their faces by management, which he believed was done in a threatening manner.

The letter was sent out previously to staff who were going to be involved in the strike.

It said all employees would be required to perform their regular duties and went on to say those who didn’t would be treated as being on strike.

A Defence Force spokesman said managers had to assess how the action would impact on business operations.

A consistent message had been reinforced to managers and commanders that employees were entitled to take lawful strike.

‘‘All communications between NZDF and employees are to be courteous and professional,’’ he said.

However, Kelly said staff being approached again with the letter was intimidating. ‘‘It was quite stand-overish. ‘‘We have also heard of people being pulled into meetings, which was in Auckland.’’

Waiouru was getting involved in the strike, with a phone and email strike planned at camp on Monday, Kelly said.

‘‘There is going to be more industrial action unless we can get some progress.

‘‘On the one hand, they have been putting up with this for a number of years and they have had enough, but they are also feeling the pressure.

‘‘It’s totally about intimidation and bullying; what else would you call it?’’

Kelly said pay was being negotiated with Defence but currently only with people on what they called ‘‘grandparent’’ contracts, which were held by people who started before 2010.

This made up only about 20 per cent of their members, so the other 80 per cent were not having their pay reviewed.

Currently,defence had offered a pay rise of 1 per cent to those members, but Kelly said some had not had a pay increase in three years.

A spokesman confirmed the last increase arising out of the collective agreement was 2014. He said the Defence Force respected the right of members to take lawful strike action.

Out of their 628 PSA members, only 44 had taken part in limited strike action around the country.