Nurses accept collective pay offer

Te Whatu Ora hospital nurses and midwives will get another pay jump under the latest pay settlement agreed between the Government and New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today.

“This Government is in it for nurses, and over six years we have delivered pay equity as well as regular increases to this historically underpaid group of predominantly women workers,” Ayesha Verrall said.

“When Labour took office in 2017, the top of the Registered Nurse pay scale was $66,755. Today it is $106,738, that’s a near $40,000 increase or 59.9% in just six years.

“This is further positive news for our nurses and midwives following the nursing pay equity settlement announced on 31 July, and the increase in midwifery pay rates for pay equity announced on 6 July.

“Under this latest deal senior nurses will now earn between $114,025 and $162,802 a year, plus penal rates, and registered nurses between $75,773 and $106,739, plus penal rates. 

“Senior midwives who are NZNO members will be on full-time base salaries of $104,622-$153,180 and registered midwives on $79,261-$103,535. Overtime and penal rates for working unsocial hours will be additional.

“The settlement package also includes a further commitment to safe staffing that will result in a range of improved health and safety measures. The Government is working at pace to recruit and train more nurses to fill current shortages.

“The rates we pay our nurses in this country is crucial to keeping them in our health system. Another priority is the wellbeing of our health workforce and reaching agreement on these measures addresses many of the issues and concerns raised by the NZNO during negotiations.

“This Government is committed to addressing pressures on our health workers, and this settlement package is a step towards achieving that,” Ayesha Verrall said.

The agreement includes:

• A salary increase for all roles covered by the collective of $4,000 effective from 1 April 2023.
• An additional flat rate salary increase of $1000 to all Designated Senior Nurses, Nurse Practitioners & Designated Senior Midwives.
• A further salary increase to all steps of all scales of $2000 or 3% whichever is the higher, effective from 1 April 2024.
• A lump sum payment of $750 will be made to all NZNO members bound by this settlement at the date of ratification.
• A further lump sum payment of $500 to all employees.

Midwives represented by NZNO and the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service are yet to resolve their pay equity claim.

“I want to acknowledge all of those involved in the bargaining process and getting to this point,” Ayesha Verrall said.

“The challenge of delivering healthcare in a complex and increasingly demanding environment is something we need to do together.”