Union Members’ Calls for Equality on Government Super Are Heard

“The establishment of a government-union working party on the extension of government –subsidised superannuation is a response to union members’ demands for equal access to subsidies for all government employees,” said New Zealand Nurses Organisation spokeswoman Laila Harré today.

Laila Harré said ongoing negotiations for a national agreement to cover nurses and midwives employed by the 21 District Health Boards have focussed attention on the exclusion of DHB employees from coverage of the state sector scheme which started this year.

“Nurses have made a claim for subsidised superannuation and we expect the Government to deliver it through the process announced today,” she said.

“This has been an important part of our Fair Pay claim and our members’ confidence in the working party delivering superannuation will be necessary for a nurses’ settlement to be ratified.”

Laila Harré said that a number of issues were still to be resolved in DHB-NZNO negotiations before a settlement can be taken to members for ratification.

She said NZNO was hopeful that ongoing mediation over the next fortnight would resolve the remaining differences between the parties.

© Scoop Media