MALE NURSES’ ASSOCIATION IS PROPOSED

Grey River Argus, 16 April 1948, Page 4

MALE NURSES’ ASSOCIATION IS PROPOSED

Objection Raised by Hotel Workers’ Union P.A. WELLINGTON, April 15; The organisation of training for male nurses was no “put up’’ job,® and there was nothing sinister behind it, said the Director of the Division of Nursing of the Department of Health, Miss M. I. Lamnie, to-day in answer to a suggestion that the department and the hospital boards’ association were interested in forming a Registered Male Nurses’ Association to get the men away from the Hotel Workers’ Union. Miss Lambic made this statement al a conference called in Wellington to consider the formation of a Registered Male Nurses’ Association.

The secretary of the New Zealand Registered Nurses Association, Miss E. S. Brown, explained why the nurses had not formed an industrial union.

A representative of the Hotel Workers’ Union Mr J. H. Geddes said that his organisation felt that the move to form a Male Nurses Association was not spontaneous. Male nurses might wish to know why the Registered Nurses’ Association had not chosen to become an industrial union, said Miss Brown. She was not belittling industrial unions, which had done tremendous work, but the Registered Nurses’ Assocation felt that it should do more. It was responsible, nut only for the working conditions, but also for maintaining a high standard of nursing training and in the provision of a high standard of service to the sick.

“We feel that the weapons used by unions, such as the go-slow a.yd the strike are unsuited to oux’ profession, and so, wp discourage our members from joining a union,’’ said Miss Brown.

She added that the Registered Nurses’ conference had always voted to remain as at present, and that student nurses had also rejected unionism.

HOTEL WORKERS' UNION’S CONCERN

*''Our organisation is very concerned at the interest of the Department of Health and the Hospital Boards’ Association in the Registered Male Nurses,” said MT Gecides, on behalf of the Hotel Workers’ Union. They could have shown that interest years ago.

Miss Brown had mentioned the goslow and strike, said Mr Geddes. Workers in hospitals had been members of the union for some considerable time, and never had there been industrial strife in the hospitals. In regard to any fear that the hospital workers might go on strike, in sympathy with others, that was the last thing the union would ask of anyone working in any hospital. The workers in hospitals who have been in the union, have improved their conditions out of all comparison with the nurses, whom our organisation considers, are grosslyunderpaid,” said Mr Geddes. In the move towards tne registration of male nurses, and of the organisation of those registeared male nurses, he said, there had been no discussion with the Hotel Workers’ Federation. “We feel that this move is by no means spontaneous, and that it is not supported' by a majority of the male nurses,” said Mr Geddes. He asked whether the male nurses, numerically small, could improve the conditions they had to-day. His union was prepared to assist, and if help were wanted, the union would be there.

In reply to M r Geddes Miss Lambie said that the Health Department had had no part in the organisation of the conference. The inauguration of the training for male nurses was no “put-up” job. and there was nothing sinister behind it. It was started because the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, when he was Minister of Health, thought that a career should b P opened for male nurses.

“I am not here to encourage men to leave the union and to form an association,” said Miss Lambie. “I am here purely to advise them and to help.”