Nurses to consider pay offer

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Gisborne nurses will hold stop work meetings on Thursday to discuss a Te Whatu Ora pay offer which their union says falls short of the rate of inflation.

Nurses who are members of New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) will meet at one of 57 meetings being held across the country this week.

The NZNO members, who include nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora, will also discuss their  next steps in the bargaining process.

“NZNO members have asked for a pay rise that matches the rate of inflation (currently 6.7 percent) but Te Whatu Ora’s offer of $4000 this year across all rates and a further 3 percent next year falls well short of this figure,” said chief executive Paul Goulter.

Te Whatu Ora had not at all addressed members’ claims around the significant issue of safe staffing and wellbeing at work, such as implementing a ratio-based staffing safety net and supporting health and safety representatives at work.

Mr Goulter said the meetings were expected to be well-attended by members.

“Members would much rather be at work focusing on their patients but we’re holding these meetings to decide what to do next because Te Whatu Ora’s offer will not help them deliver the levels of care their patients deserve.

“We are at a time when Aotearoa desperately needs nurses and other health workers.

“Pay and conditions that recognise their value would make nursing more attractive and help keep the nurses we have.

“Right now nurses do not feel safe coming into work and, ultimately, patients will pay the price for hospitals that are continuously understaffed and under-resourced.”

Gisborne nurses will meet at Gisborne Hospital’s Poutama Room at 9am or 3.30pm on Thursday, June 1.