Strikes end, for now
Palmerston North Hospital midwives joined a national day of protest yesterday in support of their calls for better pay and conditions.
Midwives employed by district health boards have been striking twice a day for two hours for nearly two weeks, but so far without securing the sort of pay offer they want.
Union representative for the Palmerston North Hospital midwives Amanda Rouse said midwives wanted to be recognised for their work and qualifications.
She said midwives were leaving hospitals because pay levels did not recognise their workload and stress, with Midcentral Health having to appoint six registered nurses to try to fill the vacancies.
A recent departure from the hospital’s midwifery team, Briony Raven and Dannevirke Maternity midwife Angela Martens, have put together a video outlining what midwives do, and why women, babies and midwives deserve better.
‘‘I’m not part of the industrial action, but wanted to support them,’’ Martens said.
‘‘We used the voices and stories of local midwives who are both overwhelmed and disheartened.’’
Rouse said after doing a fouryear degree and developing skills in prescribing, diagnosis, neonatal resuscitation, suturing and management of obstetric emergencies, hospital midwives starting pay was $49,449, rising to $66,755 a year.
Industrial co-leader of the midwives’ union MERAS Caroline Conroy said mediation with the district health boards would resume tomorrow after more than a year of negotiations.
They rejected the deal offered as a result of pay scales agreed in the New Zealand Nurses’ Organisation agreement.
Conroy said the strike action had highlighted many issues about the staffing shortage.
Boards had insisted on rosters through the strike that were similar to normal working days.
Most midwives had been unable to leave the workplace while technically on strike in case they were needed for lifepreserving services.
‘‘Maternity services are very much like ED. It is acute, and when women come in in labour, at any time, you have to respond.’’
There were 43 midwives at Palmerston North Hospital and the Horowhenua Health Centre taking part in the strike that ended today.