Workers will also be better rewarded for upskilling under the new pay scale over the next three years.
Workers will also be better rewarded for upskilling under the new pay scale over the next three years.
Hospital services workers to get up to 40 per cent more over three years.
Around 3500 hospital services workers around the country will receive up to a 40 per cent pay rise in the next three years.
Trade union E Tū's national hospital co-ordinator Sam Jones said negotiations for a new multi-employer agreement (MECA) for 2000 DHB employees have been settled. Similar agreements, withthe same rates, for contractors are expected to be voted on within the next few weeks.
"This is a fantastic outcome for members who have struggled with costs rising faster than their low wages," said Jones.
"It's a major investment by the DHBs and the Government in the lowest paid workers in our public hospitals and helps deliver on the Government's promise to lift the standard of those at the bottom."
For Auckland District Health Board cleaner Lena Hiku the news is life-changing.
The mother-of-two has worked six to seven days every week for the last 19 years, in order to put food on the table for her children, pay a mortgage and keep on top of her "ever growing" weekly bills.
With the new multi-employer agreement (MECA) under way, the level 3 qualified cleaner would see a pay jump from $19.29 an hour to $25.58 by March 2021.
"No longer are we talking an increase in cents but in dollars, which would be life-changing for me. It would mean I'd finally be able to have my weekends free to spend time with my family and go to church on Sundays," Hiku said.
Hiku said she and her husband had worked shift work for nearly two decades which meant when her children were at school he would do the drop-offs and she would be the pick-ups.
"We didn't see eye to eye often, most weekends when he was at home I was at work. Honestly, I haven't had a family life so this pay rise would be huge - even though my children have grown up and now have jobs of their own."
Minister David Clark said he was pleased the workers, who were doing valuable work in our hospitals, were benefiting from he agreement.
"Labour campaigned on lifting wages for lower paid workers, including giving decent pay increases to those on the minimum wage."
Clark said the workers would also be better rewarded for upskilling under the new pay scale over the next three years.
Lena Hiku is one of more than 3500 hospital services workers nationwide to receive up to a 40 per cent rise in the next three years. Photo / Greg Bowker
"I expect fairer pay will have a positive effect on this workforce and benefit the sector," Clark said.
Jones said the DHBs were committed to providing the training workers need to gain qualifications with higher wage rates which was great news.
"These jobs are an important entry point into the health service and the promotion of training will enable some to progress in the public health sector making the settlement a real win/win."
All services workers could advance their career by gaining a level 2 and level 3 NZQA qualification which involved a book work assessment and on-the-job training.
For example, with a level 3 qualification a cleaner could be assessed on skills such as high-level infection control.
