Frontline health workers employed by Health New Zealand will receive pay rises and additional allowances after members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation voted to ratify a new collective agreement.
Health Minister Simeon Brown said the agreement would benefit about 35,000 nurses, healthcare assistants and midwives working across hospitals and community health services.
The 20-month deal includes a 2.5 per cent pay rise in the first year and a further 2 per cent increase in the second year. Enrolled nurses at the top of their pay scale will also receive an additional $2,000 salary adjustment.
The agreement further provides lump-sum payments of $1,300 for Senior Designated Nurses and $1,000 for other eligible staff, alongside increases to a range of allowances. The annual professional development allowance for nurse practitioners will rise from $5,000 to $6,000.
A Safe Patient Care Statement of Intent was also included in the settlement, outlining a joint commitment between NZNO and Health New Zealand to’ improve patient care’ and workplace conditions.
Image credit: Julia Taubitz
It must be nice to work for an employer that can just borrow money to pay some entitled cunts pay rise.