Plunket Settlement Leads The Way For Pay Parity

14 March 2006

Plunket Settlement Leads The Way For Pay Parity in Primary Health

Plunket staff have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a 13 percent pay settlement, bringing Plunket nurses in line with the “fair pay” settlement in public hospitals.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation spokesperson Chris Wilson said Plunket was to be congratulated for leading the way in valuing the work of the primary health nursing workforce.

“This settlement justifiably says that the work of nursing staff in the community is as important as nursing work in public hospitals,” said Chris Wilson.

“Now the rest of the primary health nursing workforce will be waiting to be equally valued for the important job they do.”

NZNO is currently seeking pay parity with public hospitals in negotiations with over 650 primary health employers. The employers are predominantly GP surgeries, but also include community health centres, accident and medical centres and Pacific and Iwi providers.

Negotiations for a primary healthcare MECA (multi employer collective agreement) resume on March 16 and 17.

Chris Wilson said the Plunket settlement included:

- A 13 percent pay increase, in three installments, for registered and Plunket nurses, Community Karitane, and Kaiawhina
- The DHB (public hospital) allowances for professional development
- A five percent pay rise for administrative staff, backdated to August.
- A bargaining fee clause, under which non-NZNO members must pay a bargaining fee to NZNO in order to gain the rewards of the NZNO-negotiated deal

“The 2005/2006 Plunket agreement meets the 2005 DHB rates and further pay increases will be negotiated in further negotiations in July/August this year,” she said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media