NZ Blood activates contingency plan, ahead of strike at Australia's CSL

Monday 30th July 2012

NZ Blood, which is responsible for the national blood transfusion service, has activated a contingency plan over supplies because of strikes affecting Australian blood plasma company CSL, although it doesn't expect disruptions.

CSL faces industrial action by the National Union of Workers, the Community and Public Sector Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, who have threatened to stop processing foreign plasma if they don't get a pay rise. The dispute has been running for more than three years. Workers are seeking annual pay rises of at least 5 percent and retention of shift arrangements and job security.

"We have activated a contingency plan and there is no immediate issue in regards to stock because we hold a lot of it," Paul Hayes, marketing and communications manager at NZ Blood, told BusinessDesk. "We will be able to maintain a supply - we have several months of stock for the products."

"We are obviously aware that CSL has an industrial action issue," Hayes said. "Our senior management team is working closely with CSL and we have been in contact with them on a regular basis."

Last week, CSL offered workers a 10.75 percent pay increase over three years, which was described as "disappointing" by unions. On Tuesday, talks between CSL and the three unions will resume. That same day NUW will begin a 24-hour ban on the processing of international plasma, while CPSU will stop international processing indefinitely on Wednesday.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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