Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation
NZNO nurses, midwives and health care assistants working for Te Whatu Ora have voted to accept the latest Collective Agreement offer following a close secret ballot which closed this afternoon.
More than 38,000 Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO members were eligible to vote in the ballot.
NZNO Auckland delegate and bargaining team member Dawn Barrett says NZNO and Te Whatu Ora will now begin work to implement the agreement.
“This includes launching a time bound work programme with NZNO to research nurse-to-patient ratios, including applying a cultural lens supporting our Te Tiriti commitments. Te Whatu Ora has also agreed to strengthen its Care Capacity Demand Management staffing tool, by reviewing ways to make it more transparent, enforceable and accountable,” she says.
Dawn Barrett says the bargaining team thanks all NZNO members who participated in the extended 20 months of bargaining.
“We could not have made any progress without their willingness to stand up for what was right for patients and nursing staff.
“We recognise that many members who voted to reject this offer were willing to carry on the fight.
“We celebrate you and know there is more to be done as we continue to battle to ensure all New Zealanders get the care they need and our nurses, midwives and health care assistants are properly recognised and valued,” Dawn Barrett says.