NZ nurses reject pay offer, strike will go ahead
Government is very disappointed by the nurses’ decision: Peters
Nurses in New Zealand will strike tomorrow after rejecting the latest pay offer from their district health board (DHB) employers.
With very high voter turnout at yesterday’s ballot, the result of the nurses vote was closer than last time.
Rejecting the offer, a nationwide 24-hour strike is scheduled to begin tomorrow at 7am and will finish at 7am on Friday.
“Our options are narrowed and we are having to strike to achieve a better offer that secures additional money into the collective agreement to address outstanding member issues,” said Industrial Services manager, Cee Payne.
She said nurses didn’t take the decision to strike lightly and more than 30,000 New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members are involved.
Ms Payne said there will need to be additional funding put on the table for the nurses to call off the strike.
Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters said the government is very disappointed by the nurses’ decision. He said there’s no more money to offer, but is still hopeful the strike can be averted. Yesterday’s announcement ends weeks of negotiations between the country’s 20 DHBs and the nurses union.
There was a clear shift in the vote and a lack of trust in DHBs is a big issue for nurses, Ms Payne said. The organisation wants to assure the public that patient and public safety is paramount at all times.
In the event of a natural disaster taking place tomorrow, it said there is a protocol in place to respond appropriately.
Nurses have not gone on strike for 30 years and never under current Life Preserving Services (LPS) agreements designed to ensure patients are safe and well cared for during a strike.