The nurses' strike is off for now, but will they accept the DHBs latest pay offer?
The July 5 strike has been called off but a July 12 strike remains on the cards as nurses vote today on the new offer by the District Health Boards.
Nurses released the details of a revised pay offer from DHBs on Monday. The offer came out of facilitation between the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) and DHBs with the Employment Relations Authority. NZNO is recommending nurses take the offer.
- Mediation between nurses and DHBs fails
- Nurses release details of latest DHB pay offer
- Nurses call off planned July 5 strike after new offer
The offer reshuffles $38 million in funding to alleviate staff shortages from July 1, with each DHB receiving funding for staffing at hospitals and in the community. It also includes a commitment to implementing pay equity by December 31, 2019.
"There is another strike on the table but this is a better offer and one that the nurses seem a lot happier to mull over," Newshub political editor Tova O'Brien told The AM Show on Tuesday.
"These people work around the clock; they're underpaid and overworked," said Tova O'Brien.
"I suspect given that this is the first time the nurses organisation has recommended [the offer] to the nurses, this is one I suspect they will be considering a lot more seriously."
Online voting on whether to accept the offer opens on Tuesday, July 3 and closes on Monday, July 9.
NZNO has rejected three DHB offers since negotiations began in June last year.
Newshub.
