Two strikes down for Royston Hospital nurses negotiating pay

Nurses from Royston Hospital, Hastings, protesting for better pay and conditions for the second time in less than two months on Thursday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Royston Hospital nurses are again joining their counterparts in Wellington in strike action for better pay, but they still have hopes that won’t take a third strike to get the message across.

The second Evolution Healthcare nurses’ strike action rally began outside Royston Hospital in Hastings on Thursday morning, with about 50 attendees.

Two other rallies took place at private hospitals in Wellington - Wakefield and Bowen Hospital - with more than 230 New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) members on strike across the country according to NZNO.

The nurses have been negotiating for about 17 months with Evolution Healthcare for wage increases to create pay parity with nurses who work for Te Whatu Ora.

The 24-hour strike began at 6.45am Thursday, with the rally at Royston taking place from 10am to 12pm.

NZNO demands include wages back paid at the rate of inflation (7.3 per cent), wages for 2022 onwards at Te Whatu Ora Pay Equity rates and the same public holiday and sick leave entitlements as Te Whatu Ora employees.

Strike organiser Lyn Williams said negotiations had broken down between NZNO and Evolution Healthcare again and NZNO members decided to continue with planned strike action on December 1 and 14.

NZNO nurses, including those at Royston Hospital, are still considering whether to withdraw a third strike action notice for December 14. Photo / Paul Taylor

“Last week we voted not to withdraw our strike notices for December 1 and December 14.”

She said they were told that the release of Evolution Healthcare’s offer for the nurses was conditional on NZNO withdrawing the strike notices.

She said a decision on whether to withdraw the December 14 strike notice is being made by ballot, which will be drawn at 12.30pm on Friday.

“Our main objective is to try to get back to the table and resolve this.”

A spokesperson for Evolution Healthcare said they were disappointed by the strike action.

“Evolution Healthcare is disappointed that our nurses have chosen strike action when we have a very good three-year offer to table.”

“Evolution is encouraging its nurses to cease their strike action and return to bargaining.”