More than 1000 PSA members working at ACC are to strike in support of fairer pay.
Members voted overwhelmingly to take strike action in response to an unacceptable pay offer that would see more than 160 workers, often women, earning less than the living wage.
Strike action will start with a one-hour withdrawal of labour from 11am to noon on Wednesday 16 July. Further action is planned for Wednesday 6 August.
"The strike vote reflects a failure by ACC to bring a meaningful increase for poorly paid predominantly female workers to the table," says Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons.
The Accident Compensation Corporation has 318 workers currently earning less than the living wage. The current offer will still leave 166 earning less than the living wage.
ACC is offering a pay increase of between zero and 2% for staff earning the midpoint of their pay band or above, regardless of how low the pay band is.
"This leaves many low paid workers stuck in a cycle where their wages are eroded by inflation and they keep falling below what is a fair wage for what they do," Fitzsimons says.
"As a result, many ACC workers are earning less than they need to live with dignity and the ability to earn enough to cover more than just the absolute basics."
"The broader context is that ACC does not pay many of its staff well, and this latest pay offer does not address this issue, or recognise the efforts of loyal, long-serving staff, who will be above the midpoint of their band.
"Making matters worse low paid ACC administrative staff had their pay equity claim extinguished when the Government amended the pay equity law in May," Fitzsimons says.
The work of the striking ACC staff includes: Recovery, Coordinators, Recovery Partners, Administrators, Clinical Advisors, Cover Assessors and Customer Experience Representatives.
"The PSA and ACC will enter into mediation today (Monday 14 July) and we hope this will result in a better offer for these workers," Fitzsimons says.
