Pay offer rejected by nurses

Nurses have voted against a pay offer from district health boards, and ‘‘a week of action’’ is on the way. But whether there will be a strike is still undecided.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) president Grant Brookes made the announcement in Wellington on Monday afternoon.

On its website, the NZNO said nurses should ‘‘get ready for a week of national action starting 9 April’’.

A key next step would be to ballot members on industrial action, the statement said.

District Health Boards had offered 27,000 of its members, which also include midwives and healthcare workers, a 2 per cent annual increase in salary, a $1050 bonus, and a commitment to a pay equity settlement no later than July 1, 2019.

NZNO took the offer to its members last week.

A Facebook page titled ‘‘New Zealand, please hear our voice’’ has gained momentum since launching on March 4, with many nurses venting about their struggle to make ends meet in a highly stressful, understaffed environment.

A petition for safer working conditions for nurses has received more than 20,500 signatures.

The petition calls for: pay that attracts and retains staff, training for crisis situations, more access to security guards, action around claims of bullying, and an investigation into management culture.