It comes after NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter announced a full legal review into the settlement presented to members on Friday. The review would also cover the process leading up to the settlement.
Goulter said he expected to report the review outcome to members as soon as possible – preferably before the Easter break. Members would need the information before voting on the settlement and deciding next steps, he said.
Goulter said feedback from members showed there was significant dissatisfaction with the back-pay aspect of the deal: the proposed lump sum payment recognising past work was not what they were expecting. This was based on member understanding they would be individually back paid to December 31, 2019.
“These negotiations took place before my appointment as chief executive and I was not party to them. However, it appears something is not right, and I have initiated a full legal review as to whether the proposed lump sum (backdating) payment meets the conditions agreed to in our last MECA negotiations, and whether we were legally correct in bringing the proposed settlement to members.”
“This is a new and historic recognition that nursing has been undervalued as a workforce because it has mainly been done by women.”
Negotiations were protracted with multiple parties involved, and the NZNO and PSA negotiation teams, which included members who saw the proposed settlement as a way of settling negotiations and getting much improved base pay rates to members, Goulter said.
“The employers said individual backpay was difficult for their payroll systems and that they would have to phase increases in over at least two years, and members have already become frustrated by ongoing delays.”
The new pay rates were considerable across the DHB nursing workforce and seem to have been, by and large, welcomed by members, he said.
“This is a new and historic recognition that nursing has been undervalued as a workforce because it has mainly been done by women. That has been addressed and corrected in the proposed settlement, and we will now go hard to see those base DHB rates are extended to all sectors of nursing, including primary health care, aged care, and particularly Māori and iwi providers.”
Meeting dates
NZNO has added three more Zoom meetings, this time for NZNO district health board (DHB) members only, to discuss the proposed pay equity settlement, Goulter said. “I encourage you to attend one or more of these meetings so you are best equipped to help us decide the most constructive way forward after the legal review.”
There are already three online meetings planned for all DHB employees on the proposal, bringing the total number of meetings planned to six. To join a meeting, just click on the links in the left hand column.
| Schedule of meetings | Date | Time | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZNO DHB MEMBERS ONLY | Tue 12/04/22 | 2.30pm-3.30pm | Meeting ID 845 4813 7820 Password 491859 |
| ALL DHB EMPLOYEES | Tue 12/04/22 | 4.30pm-5.30pm | Meeting ID 836 0250 8007 Password 390899 |
| ALL DHB EMPLOYEES | Wed 13/04/22 | 11.30am -12.30pm | Meeting ID 890 7928 0450 Password 398250 |
| NZNO DHB MEMBERS ONLY | Wed 13/04/22 | 3.30pm-4.30pm | Meeting ID 821 1224 1452 Password 574288 |
| NZNO DHB MEMBERS ONLY | Thu 14/04/22 | 11.30am-12.30pm | Meeting ID 860 0195 3050 Password 136491 |
| ALL DHB EMPLOYEES | Thu 14/04/22 | 4.30pm-5.30pm | Meeting ID 830 7294 4565 Password 987780 |