Care and support workers picketed in Christchurch, Rangiora and Lincoln on Friday  as more than 250 Nurse Maude staff walked off the job nationwide.

Their union is accusing the provider of pulling a pay offer off the table and trying to strip two days of sick leave.

Public Service Association national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the union had examined that history and found the employer wanting.”We think that she would not be impressed by the actions of the employer in 2026,” she said.

Fitzsimons said withdrawing the pay offer fell short of what the law requires of an employer. “Putting pay offers on the table and then removing them isn’t consistent with the duty of good faith,” she said.

The workers currently get 12 days of sick leave, two above the statutory minimum of 10.

Public Service Association national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons. File photo supplied

Fitzsimons said that margin is common across the care and support sector and should not be on the table. “These workers deal with many vulnerable members of the community. They need time to get better when they are unwell and make sure that they don’t have to go to work,” she said.

“If we let Nurse Maude away with it, then other employers will start doing it too.” PSA assistant secretary Melissa Woolley said the timing compounded an earlier setback, with the workers’ pay equity claim having been cancelled.

“Sick leave is not a luxury. It is an absolute necessity for this workforce,” Woolley said. “These home support workers visit multiple homes daily, caring for the most vulnerable people in our communities. Forcing them to choose between going to work while unwell or facing losing income is dangerous for them and the people they care for.”

Woolley also placed blame on the coalition government, saying legislation driven through by New Zealand First, National and ACT had reduced job security, wages and leave entitlements.

Fitzsimons said the union had been unable to get a clear explanation for the changes despite lengthy negotiations. “There has been extensive bargaining, and we have tried to understand the rationale,” she said. “We remain open and willing to reach a settlement here.”

Because Nurse Maude is publicly funded, the union argues it stands apart from comparable organisations. “No other publicly funded employer is coming after sick leave entitlements in the way Nurse Maude are,” Fitzsimons said.

Support from the Christchurch community had been considerable, she said, with doctors, historians and families of people receiving care backing the workers. “It is meaningful,” she said.

Friday’s action ran from 7am to 10am. A second strike is planned for 10 August across Christchurch, Rangiora, Lincoln, Nelson, Motueka, Blenheim, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua and Kāpiti.