Northland nurses on verge of striking as pay offer rejected, mediation sought

Clinical nurse co-ordinator Jill Mortimer (centre) and members of the NZ Nursing Organisation rallying for better pay and working conditions outside Whangarei Hospital. Photo / John Stone

About 1200 Northland nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants are on the verge of strike action after NZNO members across the country rejected the latest DHB pay offer.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation chief executive Memo Musa said yesterday the strike notices would be issued within the next 48 hours, but they were also urgently seeking mediation to resolve the issue. The DHBs had offered all members a base level pay rise of 9 per cent - three of 3 per cent by August 2019.

Northland NZNO organiser Julie Governor had previously said the majority of nurses were not happy with that. "If you look at the social media, they're mostly looking [for] the 18 per cent mark."

Northland District Health Board director of nursing and midwifery Margareth Broodkoorn said the DHB respected the right of its nurses, healthcare assistants and midwives to vote to take industrial action and "know the decision to strike is a very difficult one for each individual to make".

"DHBs and nurses are discussing ways through the current impasse. The DHBs will do everything they can to settle this agreement and find a way to prevent industrial action. We will work with the NZNO to seek urgent mediation and facilitation to do this.

"If strike action goes ahead the DHB will need to reschedule some non-urgent surgery and appointments. We will be communicating directly with those patients."

She said the DHB has "robust contingency management processes".

The strike action would run for 24 hours from 7am on each of the two days, July 5 and 12.