Nurses strike nationwide over pay and conditions
‘‘The complexity is unrecognised.’’
Dr Sammurton Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners president
More than 3400 health care workers on the frontline of the Covid-19 response stopped working for two hours yesterday to protest for pay parity with hospital nurses.
Health care nurses and medical administrators across 500 general practices and medical centres stopped work from 10am-noon, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation said.
Nurses at primary health centres are paid 10.6 per cent less than those working for district health boards, leaving them $7650 worse off a year. Members voted to strike for the first time ever on September 3, after nurses described being subjected to abuse by patients frustrated by long waits for Covid-19 tests.
It is hoped the rallies will push the Government to the negotiation table, with the NZNO setting the funding gap for equal pay at $15 million.
Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners president Dr Sam Murton said GPS were in support of their staff having fair pay.
But how the funding gap will be addressed is unclear. Primary health became the front line of Covid-19 earlier this year, but also suffered from a drop in revenue when fewer people were going through its doors.
‘‘What happens with the way GPS are funded is there’s a lump sum and it’s expected that it will cover things like pay,’’ Murton said.
‘‘As pay across the health sector changes there needs to be a way of funding that within GPS.’’
GP nurses treat many diseases including diabetes, smears, vaccinations and chronic conditions. ‘‘The complexity is unrecognised,’’ she said.
Health Minister Chris Hipkins said he valued the work of nurses both inside and outside the public health service.
‘‘However, nurses working in non-dhb workplaces, including primary health, are employed by private employers. Their pay and conditions are not negotiated with the Government or Crown entities,’’ he said.
‘‘This is a complicated issue – for example, there are a wide range of collective and individual agreements in the sector and no guarantee under the current arrangements that Government funding increases have been passed on to employees in the past or would be in the future.’’