Principles and Issues/Claims for the 2024 NZNO/PHC MECA negotiations

Member meetings to work out our claims for this year's bargaining were held online and in worksites between 15 and 22 April. Online claims endorsement meetings were held 23, 24 and 25 July and then the claims were successfully endorsed by members in an online ballot.

  • Principles

NZNO’s Strategic Plan 2023-2025 – Maranga Mai! – Every nurse, everywhere includes five fixes:

  • Ensuring Te Tiriti is actualised within and across the health system
  • Fix the number of trained and qualified nurses across the health system – right now
  • Fix pay and conditions that are equal across the health system and meet nurses’ values and expectations
  • Fix the number of people in nursing training to meet the current and future needs
  • Fix the number of Māori and Pasifika nurses to meet the need

Translating these “fixes” into the bargaining context and incorporating the input and priorities of the members covered by this bargaining will be the approach we take to the bargaining table and for which we are seeking your endorsement of that approach.

  • Issues/Claims

Actualising Te Tiriti means striving to remove inequities that have remained persistent and are linked to the poor health outcomes for Māori.

The socio-political impact of employment conditions and the way health funding is distributed; and which directly affects the inability in Primary HealthCare to recruit and retain a culturally appropriate and skilled and knowledgeable nursing workforce.

We are seeking a commitment by the employer parties to an agreement which includes a statement in the PHC MECA that, the parties acknowledge the authority of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the unique status of Māori as tangata whenua of Aotearoa/New Zealand.

We will also explore the development of payments, training and or paid time for employees who either use their unique skill in the course of their work or who are learning to gain understanding of the obligations of the Tiriti partnerships and Te Reo.

Permanent employment of enough qualified nurses and HCAs who are supported to be safe at work through effective workload/ caseload management systems in place.

Pay and conditions to match other health workers who do the same or similar work. This includes pay parity.

Providing the environment where people who are in training will want to work and supporting them to meet the needs of the communities.

Recruiting and retaining more Māori and Pasifika nurses to meet the current and future needs for the Primary Health sector.

  • Specific Priority Claims

Pay

The printed PHC MECA rates be improved to match the Te Whatu Ora rates as at 1 April 2024. Note the Te Whatu Ora Pay Equity settlement is currently being reviewed and the bargaining for the renewal of the Te Whatu Ora Agreement will commence late August / early September this year.

  • Extend coverage to include nurse practitioners
  • Establish pay rate for Coordinator / Lead Nurse/Nurse Team Leader
  • Address parity issues for nurse prescribers
  • Parity with Te Whatu Ora of other conditions i.e. shift/public holidays payments

Superannuation

Increase the employer’s contribution to 6%

Leave

Sick leave – include additional discretionary leave of up to 10 days as is provided by Te Whatu Ora.

Long Service leave - modernise clause to recognise the value and recognition of retaining employees.

Reimbursement

Annual Practicing Certificates - Employer to reimburse full cost - $130