Disruption likely over nurses' pay

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

Hospitals almost certainly face disruption next year if the Government fails to deliver large pay rises to nurses to bring them into line with police and teachers.

Nurses yesterday called for the Government to spend some of its large Budget surplus on "fair pay" or pay equity.

Outside Parliament, a 7000-signature petition from nurses was given to Associate Health and Women's Affairs Minister Ruth Dyson, who said nurses would benefit from the Government's commitment to addressing pay equity.

Nurses Organisation official and former Alliance MP Laila Harre said to achieve equity nurses pay would have to increase by between 20 and 25 per cent.

Later in Parliament, Health Minister Annette King said the issue would be addressed through a pay equity task force established earlier this year.

However, nurses in the public gallery looked on in disbelief at Annette King's answers to questions from Green MP Sue Kedgley on when the Government would deliver.

Annette King said decisions on pay equity would be made after the Pay Equity Task Force had reported back.

"Decisions on pay equity, including any possible funding for the 2004 Budget, will be made in response to the task force report which will set out a five-year action plan."

NZNO chief executive Geoff Annals said earlier that if the Government did not deliver industrial action would "almost certainly happen".

"Nurses have been waiting to have their pay addressed for literally 100 years. It has always been well behind."

Ms Harre said the Government was yet to start talking to nurses about their claim despite approaching it six months ago.

She said nurses were serving notice now that next June they would seek a national pay equity settlement, if one is not negotiated before then.

Ms Harre said the taskforce was important, but would not be reporting back to the Government until March.

She said the union's research showed nurses were underpaid between $7000 and $19,000 a year depending on seniority and location.

One estimate has put the total cost of pay equity for nurses at between $210 million and $570 million a year.

Ms Harre said they needed to talk to the Government and work out what the actual cost would be.

Ms Dyson told the nurses who presented the petition that 14 years after the repeal of Labour's pay equity law by National the Government was looking at how to rebuild it.

"We have made a very clear commitment publicly to supporting the progression of pay equity. I know that nurses, particularly, will benefit from it and well-deserved that is too."

NZNO convenor Carol McCord, 51, said it was 32 years since she entered nursing and more than 20 years since she reached the top staff nurse salary scale, currently $38,800 base rate.

She said cost-cutting had resulted in her not just being a nurse but cleaner, receptionist, kitchen staffer, social worker and sometimes police officer or prison guard. Overworked nurses were "tired and angry". Patient loads were too high and sometimes unsafe.

"We contribute a huge amount to New Zealand society, so why is this not reflected in our pay?"