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Legal review launched into historic pay settlement for nurses

April 11, 2022
Nurses protesting.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says it will initiate a full legal review of the recent Pay Equity settlement agreement, including the process leading up to it.

That's after some nurses expressed feelings of betrayal over the historic deal, which was announced on Friday.

It includes pay rises for nurses of around $6000 to $16,000 based on their nursing role and experience.

NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter says these new pay rates seem, by and large, to have been welcomed by members.

However, he says member feedback has indicated there was significant dissatisfaction with the back pay aspect of the deal.

That’s because the new pay rates won't be back paid to December 31, 2019, which was agreed to by nurses in previous separate collective agreement pay rounds since the equity claims were lodged in 2017.

Goulter says that because the negotiations took place before his appointment of Chief Executive, he’s seeking legal clarification.

“It appears something is not right,” he says.

Goulter says he expects to report the outcome of the legal review back to members as soon as possible, and preferably before the Easter break.

Meanwhile, the Public Services Association, representing 10,000 allied health workers, will begin a vote on Tuesday about whether to strike on May 16.

The results of the vote will be announced on April 20.

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