Source: Radio New Zealand
The settlement covers 16,000 health workers, including mental health and public health nurses, allied health, policy, advisory, knowledge and specialist workers. File photo. 123RF
The Public Service Association (PSA) is recommending health workers accept a new proposed collective agreement when they vote on it in the new year.
The settlement for three collective agreements covers 16,000 health workers, including mental health and public health nurses, allied health, policy, advisory, knowledge and specialist workers.
The collective that has the largest number of workers covers 11,500 people and includes physiotherapists, social workers and anaesthetic technicians, along with a number of other roles.
PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said there had been lengthy negotiations and industrial action in October and November over the collective.
“We are recommending PSA members accept what’s on the table,” said Fitzsimons.
“The proposed settlements are better than the previous offers, but don’t contain everything we wanted.
“The decision to recommend has been made by the respective bargaining teams to give members a clear view that we consider this is the best deal we can achieve now.”
The PSA said that under the proposed settlement for all three collectives, base rates would rise 2.5 percent on 1 December 2025 and 2 percent on 7 December 2026 together with other enhancements.
It said there was also some agreement for the union and Health NZ to make progress on staffing levels that keep workers and patients safe.
“Our delegates worked incredibly hard to achieve this proposed settlement, and if agreed by workers, underscores why strong union representation is critical to achieving the best results for workers,” said Fitzsimons.
“These workers took effective strike action in October during the mega-strike and again in November to make their concerns heard loud and clear about pay and the underfunding of the health system.
“Many sacrificed pay at a difficult time to do this with cost-of-living pressures facing all, while others supported the strike action by providing life preserving services during the strikes.”
The PSA will hold meetings early in the New Year to explain the proposed settlement followed by voting on the deal.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
