‘We are prepared to go hard, if that’s what members want’ — frustrated bargaining team back at the table

It’s been a long hard 16 months since 2025/26  collective bargaining kicked off in September 2024 — and NZNO’s team say they feel “disappointed and frustrated” as Te Whatu Ora continues to drag out negotiations.

“We can give you all the emotions — angry, disrespected, undervalued,” bargaining team chair and Hawke’s Bay nurse Noreen McCallan told Kaitiaki on their first day back at the table on January 21.

‘We are prepared to go hard, if that’s what members want — we want to confirm members are behind us and what the commitment is to strikes.’

But they are steely, too, in their mission to secure safe staffing across the country.

“It’s important to understand we are dealing with a Government that does not appear to be willing to fund health services safely,” McCallan said.

Meanwhile, Te Whatu Ora’s delay tactics were forcing nurses and kaiāwhina to continue working in unsafe conditions — for them, and for patients, Auckland RN Dawn Barrett said.

“This protracted process has meant that nothing can be done about the current staffing situation — it’s delaying our ability to really get some relief from the short staffing.”

Taranaki EN Glenda Huston added: “And the longer it takes, the more money they’re saving”.

Te Whatu Ora’s last offer was in June 2025, with a three per cent pay rise staggered across 12 months. Soundly rejected by NZNO members, the offer was not enough to meet the higher cost of living. Nor did it meet NZNO’s core claims of enforceable safe staffing, an enforceable evidence-based approach to culturally-appropriate nurse-patient ratios, full graduate employment, tikanga allowances and more pay for designated senior nurses, the team said. It has since been withdrawn.

‘We can give you all the emotions — angry, disrespected, undervalued.’

Since then, there have been several strikes — nationwide and partial as well as uniform strikes in some regions, where members donned t-shirts or whacky scrubs at work, often sparking conversations.

What do we want?

Now the bargaining team are keen to seek direction from members.

“We are seeking direction from members to guide our next steps,” Christchurch health-care assistant Allister Dietschin said. “What action are we prepared to take?”

Meetings will kick off on February 9, where members can share their thoughts on how to move forward. A survey will also be available from February 11-17.

But whatever happens next, unity — kotahitanga — is key, NZNO’s team says.

“We are all in the same waka — we are united,” Huston said.

“We are prepared to go hard, if that’s what members want — we want to confirm members are behind us and what the commitment is to strikes, whether they be visibility strikes, or redeployment, or picketing.”

Any progress?

And there have been wins. Te Whatu Ora has agreed to work with NZNO on researching nurse-to-patient ratios; to an extra pay step for enrolled nurses to reflect their expanded scope; and to ensure a new $24 shift coordinator allowance is consistently applied across the country. So far, 13 of NZNO’s 40 claims have been tentatively agreed.

But core sticking points remain, such as:

• An enforceable commitment by Te Whatu Ora to recruit to need, as defined by safe staffing programme CCDM (care capacity demand management).
• Implementing culturally appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios within an agreed time-frame.
• Embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi with kaupapa Māori dispute processes and tikanga allowances for members who provide cultural support.
• Full employment for new nursing graduates.
• A pay rise that reflects the high cost of living.
• A further pay rise for designated senior nurses to restore pay relativity compared to RNs.

The current collective agreement expired in October 2024. NZNO’s 2024-2026 claims can be found here.