Te Whatu Ora strikes December 2024
- Scroll down for the dates of the rolling district strikes 10-19 December
- Click here for the strike FAQs
- Download the Te Whatu Ora strike flyer
- Click here for photos of the 10-19 December rolling strikes
- Click here for photos and links to media coverage of the 3 December strike
- Click here for the page with Life Preserving Services (LPS) information, guidance and signed agreements
- Info about the NZNO Industrial Action Hardship Fund
NZNO members at Te Whatu Ora voted strongly to hold an eight-hour nationwide strike on December 3 followed by rolling district strikes between 10-19 December. The strikes involved 36,000 NZNO member nurses, midwives and HCAs working in public hospitals and Te Whatu Ora facilities across Aotearoa.
The strikes were a complete withdrawal of labour at every place where Te Whatu Ora provides health and hospital services. NZNO worked with Te Whatu Ora to ensure life-preserving services are in place for the strikes as required by law.
Why are nurses and health workers striking?
For safe staffing
NZNO members are deeply concerned about patients continuing to pay the price for hospitals that are under-staffed and under-resourced. We’re taking action for safe staffing not only for nurses and health workers but also for patients.
For fair pay
The Te Whatu Ora pay offer is well below the rate of inflation. This amounts to a pay cut. We’re taking action to make sure nurses, midwives and HCAs are valued.
National strike 3 December
A national strike was held on 3 December in every place in New Zealand where Te Whatu Ora provides health and hospital services.
Rolling strikes 10-19 December
Following on from the 3 December national strike, rolling strikes were held from 10-19 December in all Te Whatu Ora districts.
| Date of strike | Time of strike and planned actions | District | Where | Date strike notice issued |
| Tuesday 10 December |
On strike 1-5pm Picket from 1.15pm outside Auckland City Hospital |
Auckland | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Auckland District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 24 November 2024 |
| Wednesday 11 December | On strike 1-5pm | South Canterbury | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – South Canterbury District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 25 November 2024 |
| Wednesday 11 December | On strike 1-5pm | Southern | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Southern District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 25 November 2024 |
| Thursday 12 December | On strike 1-5pm | Counties Manukau | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Counties Manukau District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 26 November 2024 |
| Thursday 12 December | On strike 1-5pm | Whanganui | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Whanganui District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 26 November 2024 |
| Thursday 12 December |
On strike 1-5pm Picket 1-2.30pm outside Masterton Hospital |
Wairarapa | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Wairarapa District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 26 November 2024 |
| Friday 13 December |
On strike 1-5pm Tauranga Hospital Whakatāne Hospital |
Bay of Plenty | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Bay of Plenty District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 27 November 2024 |
| Friday 13 December |
On strike 1-5pm Rotorua Hospital Taupō Hospital |
Lakes | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Lakes District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 27 November 2024 |
| Friday 13 December |
On strike 1-5pm Picket outside Hutt Hospital 1-3pm |
Hutt Valley |
Inpatient and Outpatient Services at Hutt Hospital in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Hutt Valley District. All other services at Hutt Hospital such as Renal and Community services are covered by the notice for a rolling strike for 18 December 2024 from 1pm-5pm at Capital and Coast. | 27 November 2024 |
| Monday 16 December |
On strike 1-5pm Picket on Ruahine St outside the main entrance to the hospital from 1-2pm |
MidCentral | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – MidCentral District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 30 November 2024 |
| Tuesday 17 December |
On strike 1-5pm Kaitāia Hospital - picket outside from 1-5pm Whangārei Hospital - Picket from 1-3pm at Tarewa Park. Meet at Carpark 16 opposite ambo bay at 1.30pm to walk together. Dargaville Hospital – joining Whangārei picket Bay of Islands Hospital - picket at the Kawakawa/Paihia roundabout 1.30-3pm Kerikeri -
|
Northland | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Northland District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 1 December 2024 |
| Tuesday 17 December | On strike 1-5pm |
Waitematā |
Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Waitematā District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. |
1 December 2024 |
| Tuesday 17 December |
On strike 1-5pm Te Kuiti Tokoroa Taumarunui Thames Waikato |
Waikato | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Waikato District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 1 December 2024 |
| Tuesday 17 December | On strike 1-5pm | Taranaki | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Taranaki District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 1 December 2024 |
| Tuesday 17 December | On strike 1-5pm | Tairāwhiti | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Tairāwhiti District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 1 December 2024 |
| Wednesday 18 December | On strike 1-5pm | Nelson Marlborough |
Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Tairāwhiti District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. |
2 December 2024 |
| Wednesday 18 December |
On strike 1-5pm Picket outside Wellington Hospital 1-3pm A bus will leave Kenepuru Hospital at 1.10pm and return at 3pm |
Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services (but not including health care or hospital care services for inpatients and outpatients at Hutt Hospital which will occur on 13 December). |
2 December 2024 |
| Thursday 19 December |
On strike 1-5pm Members will all walk out of Hastings Hospital together at 1pm then picket outside 1-2pm |
Hawke's Bay | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Hawke's Bay District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 3 December 2024 |
| Thursday 19 December | On strike 1-5pm | Canterbury | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – Canterbury District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 3 December 2024 |
| Thursday 19 December | On strike 1-5pm | West Coast | Every place in Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora – West Coast District where the employer provides health care or hospital care services. | 3 December 2024 |
Media coverage
- Nurses and kaiāwhina vote to strike before Christmas. Kaitiaki, 18 November 2024
- Nurses' union calls nationwide strike over pay dispute with Health NZ. RNZ, 18 November 2024
- Nurses to strike among fears latest Te Whatu Ora pay offer will push more overseas. Stuff, 18 November 2024




