Regional nurses accept deal

North Island nurses have narrowly voted to accept a mediated settlement to their collective agreement.

The nurses' union and employers from five district health boards - Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Northland and Tairawhiti - had been negotiating a multi-employer collective agreement for the past 12 months.

The new agreement will cover more than 4000 nurses at 19 hospitals. They had threatened to strike unless they achieved parity with Auckland nurses, who enjoy pay rates 10 to 13 per cent higher.

The boards originally offered increases of between 7 and 9.7 per cent.

The union took a new contract offer to nurses last week after five days of mediation in Hamilton.

It was approved by 69 per cent of nurses, said NZ Nurses Organisation advocate Shane Vugler.

"A narrow margin should be taken as a clear sign that nurses' expectations of fair pay must be met ...

"Nurses will not rest until full pay equity is achieved between them and other similar professions in New Zealand and nurses overseas."

Achieving a multi-employer agreement was "historic" and a step in the right direction, Mr Vugler said.

But many pay-related issues were unresolved.

Herald Feature: Hospitals under stress

- NZPA