Thousands of primary health care workers are expected to strike across New Zealand tomorrow.
Around 3200 nurses and administration staff are expected to strike for eight hours, calling for pay parity with their district health board colleagues.
It's set to go ahead after mediation with employers, held yesterday, failed to reach a resolution, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation confirmed in a statement.
They’re calling for pay parity with their District Health Board Colleagues.
The strike will include staff across more than 500 general practices and accident and medical centres nationwide.
Chris Wilson, NZNO Industrial Advisor for the Primary Health Care (PHC) Sector said this situation was simply not good enough considering negotiations have been going on for nearly a year.
“The Government has known about the urgency of pay parity in PHC for at least a year, and to not pull out all stops to address the serious PHC recruitment and retention issues is beyond belief.
Ms Wilson said the priority now should be the parties meeting again as soon as possible after the strike and that they be enabled by the Government to come to a resolution.
“Pay parity has been costed at $15m and, in the context of the whole health sector, there is no reason this has to wait. The acknowledged value of our members’ work should mean we do not need to consider taking industrial action to have that recognised.”
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