Turning Point For Nurses’ Pay Campaign

1 April 2004

A Turning Point For Nurses’ Pay Campaign As Lower North Island Nurses Vote For New Agreement

Nurses, midwives and health assistants covered by the Lower North Island Multi Employer Agreement have voted to accept a revised employer offer, New Zealand Nurses Organisation advocate Lyn Olsthoorn said today.

The MECA covers 4,000 nurses, midwives and health assistants in seven DHBs - Taranaki Health, Hutt Valley DHB, Whanganui DHB, Wairarapa DHB, MidCentral DHB, Hawkes Bay and Capital and Coast DHB.

NZNO national spokesperson Laila Harré said the settlement marked a turning point in the nurses’ and midwives’ campaign to win pay equity with other similar professions.

“Our Lower North Island members backed the settlement on the basis that they would now join the rest of the country and seek a national pay equity settlement in 2004,” said Lyn Olsthoorn. “The goal in this negotiation was to close the pay gap between Lower North Island nurses and midwives and the rest of the country.”

But Laila Harré said nurses’ and midwives’ pay across the country still lagged way behind other professionals with similar qualifications, skills, responsibilities and experience.

She said NZNO members would now focus on achieving pay equity in national negotiations.

“Other public sector professionals such as teachers and police have nationally consistent pay scales, determined in national negotiations,” she said.

“Now NZNO members will pull the stops out to achieve fair pay for all New Zealand nurses and midwives.”

ENDS

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