Nurses will strike for two days over lack of pay parity

Primary Health Care members voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of the strike action.
Primary Health Care members voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of the strike action. Photo credit: Getty

More than 3000 nurses and administration staff will walk off the job for two days in November over being "constantly undervalued".

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says the first 24-hour strike will take place on 9 November, and the second on 23 November. 

NZNO industrial advisor Chris Wilson says all nurses want is pay parity with staff employed in District Health Boards.

"Our members are now feeling more fobbed off and angrier than ever," said NZNO industrial advisor Chris Wilson.

Primary Health Care members voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of the strike action, which the union says is a crystal clear indication of how fed up they are.

Wilson says the November strikes follow two national rounds of stop work meetings and a one day strike in September.

"It is unfathomable that strike action should be required, with significant disruptions to services in the community when all these nurses want is to be paid the same."

She added NZNO is available to negotiate with the Ministry of Health "at any time". 

Newshub has contacted the Ministry of Health for comment.