Kaitaia Hospital nurses walk off the job

Kaitaia Hospital nurses and midwives were among the 30,000 around the country who walked off the job for 24 hours at 7am on Thursday, but there was none of the rancour that some pay disputes generate.

Flashing plenty of purple — the NZ Nurses’ Organisation’s colour — they lined both sides of Redan Rd wearing costumes, waving flags and placards, inviting motorists to ‘toot for health’ as they drove past. And plenty did.

Later in the morning some headed into the town’s main street before returning to Redan Rd. NZNO delegate Michelle Roche said strike action was being taken to secure better funding for nurses and midwives, and a stronger health system for everyone.

“We have worked with the DHBs to ensure that life preserving services are maintained, and we really appreciate the tremendous support the public have shown us,” she said.

“We are taking action to make a decade of invisible unsafe staffing visible. We are giving up pay that supports our families to take action to protect patients through safer staffing, so that being part of the nursing and midwifery teams is once again a valued and respected career.”

Pickets were also held outside Whangarei and Dargaville and Bay of Islands hospitals.

The health board employs 1500 nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, with about 1200 taking strike action. At present, newly trained nurses start on $49,449. Under the latest rejected deal their base start salary would be $50,932. Yearly pay increases mean that after five years nurses earn $67,000. Under the rejected deal, with an added step, the new top base salary would be $77, 386. Senior nurses would earn up to $93,000 but the NZNO said that would require a full-time workload, overtime and weekend and night work.