Nurses accept pay equity offer

More than 30,000 Te Whatu Ora-employed nurses will receive a pay rise and a one-off lump sum payment to address historic pay equity issues, Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall announced today.

“This Government values nurses, and ending gender-based pay discrimination is a crucial part of our work in this area,” Ayesha Verrall said.

“Higher pay will also improve the retention of nurses and address workforce shortages – and we’re already seeing strong results.

“Under this Government, last year more than 8000 nurses registered for the first time, a 60 per cent increase from the previous year, and in the last quarter the number of nurses registered to practice in New Zealand grew by about 2000.

“We’re also committed to improving pay rates for our nurses to help address decades of under-payment, and to remove the undervaluation of work performed by women.

“I’m delighted that with today’s agreement, we’re able to put more money into the pockets of our hard-working nurses.”

In addition to increased pay rates, nurses will receive a lump sum payment of up to $15,000.

The new pay rates will be backdated to 7 March 2022, providing pay equity increases of 6.5 per cent for senior nurses and 4.5 per cent for registered nurses, enrolled nurses, health care assistants and mental health care assistants.

Senior nurses will earn between $105,704 and $153,060 per annum full time, plus penal rates and registered nurses will earn between $69,566 and $99,630 per annum full time, plus penal rates.

“This is the second pay rise for nurses in the past nine months – the first being the interim 14 per cent pay equity adjustment paid in April this year and backdated to 7 March 2022, and the $10,000 lump sum payment (pro-rated) already part paid,” Ayesha Verrall said.

“I’m pleased Te Whatu Ora and union officials were able to work together to achieve this deal, which has been a long time coming.”