Health workers angry at ongoing holiday pay delays

Nursing union members are mounting pressure on Health NZ to give them the holiday pay they are owed.

Nursing union members are mounting pressure on Health NZ to give them the holiday pay they are owed.

Issues with DHB payroll systems and their compliance with the Holidays Act were discovered in 2016, meaning some employees weren’t receiving correct leave entitlements.

The claims on the payment errors dated back to 2010.

But earlier this month the Nurses Organisation informed members that Health NZ was expecting additional delays to the Holidays Act Remediation Programme.

A number of districts were also no longer providing payment time frames.

NZNO president Paul Goulter said the organisation has launched an online campaign, with more than 6000 members signing an overdue invoice notice to Health NZ.

Paul Goulter. Photo / File

Goulter said members are pretty angry, adding this is just the start.

A union member, who wishes to remain anonymous, said people are furious with the situation.

“Who else would get away with this crap. People are in disbelief that it can just keep happening. It’s been so many years.

“People are dying while they wait for their money – it’s just so wrong.”

The member said she wants the public to know how badly they get treated, adding it’s bad timing given the job cuts that are occurring.

“Everyone gets excited... people sort of plan ahead then all of a sudden, bang. No money, and now there’s no time frame even.”

NZNO Overdue Invoice

Health NZ said the complexity of the issue makes it a challenging task to get money to those who are owed.

Te Whatu Ora chief people officer Andrew Slater said progress has been made, paying $246.5 million over 13 years to 34,000 current employees as of the end of May this year.

But Slater added it’s a challenging programme of work due to the complexity of the Holidays Act, the workforce size, employment arrangements and the state of payroll systems.

“We plan to complete Holidays Act Remediation payments to our current employees in 2024/25, however, work to calculate and finalise payments is a complex and painstaking task that requires specialist skills.”

Goulter said while it’s good Health NZ had confirmed they will continue to engage consultants to help them through the situation, members are still unhappy – and as a result, they’ll be looking at legal recourse.

“What we’re looking at, at this stage, is if there has been any breach of a MOU, which was signed between the different unions and what were the DHBs at that stage. So we are seeing if there is anything in that agreement that may give us basis for an action,” he said.

In the meantime, union members are still waiting for their pay.

“There is just one thing after another at the moment. People like me feel powerless to do anything,” the anonymous union member said.

The member said at this rate, she will retire with her employer still owing money.

“They have chosen to incorrectly pay me, and now I have to fight to get it.”