Nurses Organisation kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says a fair pay agreement is likely to have a flow-on effect for other sectors.
Nurses and healthcare assistants employed by Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand have voted overwhelmingly to accept the deal, which boosts base pay to recognise systemic underpayment in the female-dominant occupation.
Ms Nuku says it took the intervention of the Health Minister to get the deal over the line, but members held firm because they were fighting for future members of the profession.
“Notwithstanding the fact there will still be members who wanted to continue the fight, this is significant, this is a historical event for us because we now have stronger leverage to support the other nurses outside of the Te Whatu Ora sector, we can support them to step up,” she says.
The Nurses Organisation will support similar claims by nurses and health workers employed by hauora Maori and other community providers.
The agreement is separate from pay talks, with nurses still considering a last minute offer from Te Whatu Ora aimed at averting a 24-hour strike on August 9.
