Category: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: Members to get ballot for industrial action

 

Media Release

EMBARGO 9.30am                                                                            20 April 2018

Members now vote whether or not to strike

NZNO DHB members, who are party to the DHB Nurses and Midwifery MECA, receive their strike ballot paper by post and email from Monday 23 April to vote on proposed strike action. The action will occur if the MECA impasse is not resolved through the Independent Panel Process.

Industrial Services Manager Cee Payne says the NZNO National Delegates Committee this week recommended NZNO proceed with a secret strike ballot of all members covered by the DHB Nurses and Midwifery MECA for strike action.

“We announced this decision to members this morning with the information that the possible strike action will consist of two strikes for 24 hours each commencing at 7.00am. The committee have proposed a week in between the two strikes,” Cee Payne said.

“Members can vote online or by post. The ballot is open for 30 days in accordance with the NZNO constitution and closes no later than 5pm on Friday 25 May 2018. The postal ballot will need to be returned by Tuesday 22 May 2018.

“The commitment to secure safe patient care and a salary structure that incentivises nurses and midwives to remain in the profession has led the committee to this important decision. Strike action is a last resort if a settlement acceptable to our members cannot be achieved” said Cee Payne.

“NZNO must give 14 days’ notice to the DHBs should a vote to strike be the majority decision from all those that submit their ballot. This means the dates of a possible strike are early July.

NZNO chief executive Memo Musa explains that as soon as notice of strike action is given to the DHBs they must develop a contingency plan and take all reasonable and practicable steps to ensure continued provision of essential or life preserving service if strike action occurs.

“The statutory Code of Good Faith for the public health sector requires employers to provide for patient safety by ensuring that life preserving services are available to prevent a serious threat to life or permanent disability during any strike action,” Memo Musa said.

ENDS.

Media Enquiries to: Media Adviser, Karen Coltman: 027 431 2617.

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: MECA Panel members confirmed

All District Health Boards

  

 

 

Media Release                                                         13 April 2018

 

 

Announcement of independent DHB MECA panel members

Following yesterday’s announcement that an independent panel is being engaged to assist in resolving the impasse in the DHB NZNO Multi Employer Collective Agreement bargaining, both parties can now confirm the appointments to the Independent Panel.

The panel is comprised of three independent members: An independent chair appointed by the government, one member proposed by the DHBs and one member proposed by NZNO. 

Both parties welcome the appointment of the chair, Professor Margaret Wilson.

“Professor Margaret Wilson represents balance for the parties as we negotiate terms and conditions for 27,000 members of the health workforce,” says Memo Musa, Chief Executive of NZNO and Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Chair of the DHBs’ Employment Relations Strategy Group.

 

The panel member nominated by the DHBs is Julie Patterson who has a strong background in DHB leadership. The panel member nominated by NZNO is Geoff Annals, a former NZNO chief executive.   

The panel will meet next week. After its first meeting and during the next four weeks the Panel will receive submissions from each party on various matters requiring further negotiation in order to reach an agreement on an updated offer that NZNO can present to its members.

The independent panel process involves:

• Both NZNO and the DHBs (the Parties) making individual submissions to the Panel. The submissions will be written and oral – to support the respective claims, offers and settlements put forward in the bargaining process and other issues raised.
• The panel will then deliberate and come back to the Parties with draft recommendations.
• The parties can then submit further submissions to the Panel.
• The final recommendations from the panel will be provided to each party and the Government by mid-May.
• The DHBs will then make an updated offer to NZNO.

 

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACTS

DHB Contact

Mick Prior, General Manager – Strategic Workforce Services

M: 027 691 4999             mick.prior@tas.health.nz

 

NZNO Contact

Media Adviser Karen Coltman: 027 431 2617.

BACKGROUND – PANEL MEMBERS

Professor Margaret Wilson – Professor Wilson has worked in both private legal practice and has had an extensive career in public service, including as a Director of the Reserve Bank, Speaker of the House and as a Minister of the Crown. She has also served as the founding Dean of Waikato Law School and as New Zealand Law Commissioner.

Geoff Annals – Geoff is currently the chief executive of Accuro Health Insurance. Formerly the chief executive of the NZNO, Geoff was involved in the nursing fair pay resolution in 2004, and in the establishment of the Safe Staffing Healthy Workplace Unit.  Geoff has worked as a registered nurse, and has a good understanding of the wider health system.

Julie Patterson – Julie is the former Chief Executive Officer of Whanganui DHB. She is a qualified nurse (RGON) and has extensive experience in clinical leadership and senior management roles in the health sector.  Julie has taken a lead role in the Safe Staffing Healthy Workplace governance group, and the Health Sector Relationship Agreement, and has worked closely with the NZNO in both of these initiatives.

 

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: Panel agreed to by NZNO

Media release                                                12 April 2018

 

NZNO will proceed with panel to settle the DHB MECA

NZNO has decided to proceed with DHB MECA engagement via the Independent Panel process as proposed by Prime Minister. Once the panel has been confirmed and announced, it will advise of the date of its first meeting and timetable for completing the work.

Industrial Services Manager Cee Payne explains that the panel will seek to address the impasse in the DHB Nurses and Midwives MECA bargaining. The panel will comprise of three independent members: An independent chair appointed by the Government, one member proposed by the DHB employers and one member proposed by NZNO.

“Both NZNO and the DHB employers have to find all three panel members acceptable,” Cee Payne said.

The process involves:

• Both NZNO and the DHB Employers (the Parties) making individual submissions to the Panel. The submissions will be written and oral – to support the respective claims, offers and settlements put forward in the bargaining process and other issues raised.
• The panel will then deliberate and come back to the Parties with draft recommendations.
• The parties can then submit further submissions to the Panel.
• The final recommendations from the panel will be provided to the parties.
• The DHB employer reps are then required to make an updated offer to NZNO.

“The NZNO bargaining team is able to make a recommendation to its members in relation to a new offer. The new offer will be presented to our members to vote on.

“NZNO has used an evidence based process to identify the pay claim and will continue to approach pay issues from this basis, and identify other useful comparators,” she said.

 

Media Enquiries to: NZNO media adviser Karen Coltman 027 431 2617 or karenc@nzno.org.nz

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: First rally Tuesday 10 April

 

 

Media Release                                                                   9 April 2018

 

Large turnout expected for Middlemore rally

The first NZNO Rally for Health is at Middlemore Hospital tomorrow morning at 6.30am. Nurses are reporting that NZNO members from each ward are attending either the morning or afternoon at 2pm and anticipation is building as they are organising to get there.

NZNO Counties-Manukau DHB delegate nurse Caitlin Francey says this is our opportunity to:

“Walk the talk without compromising the care of the public we look after,” she says.

“This rally is a signal to government that we feel undervalued and feel so strongly about this that we are willing to strike if there are no improvements in pay and our working conditions.

 “There are very strong feelings about this. We feel let down by the underinvestment in nursing and the collective agreement offer.

“Change is afoot, there is definitely a mood to speak up now, we feel the MECA offer was unacceptable and adds salt to the wound when we are working under pressure in an underfunded health system,” Caitlin Francey said.

Delegate Caroline Donaldson, says that the current MECA negotiations impasse is generating an opportunity for nurses to speak out about the fact they are feeling undervalued:

“The rejected MECA offer is not enough to cover living cost increases and nurses are being attracted overseas.

“The minimum wage is increasing again and graduate nurses after 3 years of study are unfairly to be on wages nearly the same.

“Nurses are feeling overworked, undervalued and underpaid and I also believe the government needs to spend more on the health care for the people of New Zealand.”

NZNO campaign activities are planned throughout New Zealand to show the government that New Zealanders need it to prioritise rebuilding a quality public health system by investing in nursing, the largest health workforce.

www.healthneedsnursing.co.nz

 

Media enquiries to: NZNO media adviser, Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: NZNO Rallies for Health begin

 

 

 

Media Advisory                                                                           6 April 2018

 

NZNO Rallies for Health begin

NZNO Industrial Services Manager, Cee Payne and president Grant Brookes are supporting members at the first ‘HealthNeedsNursing’ event of the week.

NZNO campaign activities are planned throughout New Zealand to show the government that New Zealanders need it to prioritise rebuilding a quality public health system by investing in nursing, the largest health workforce.

NZNO members will be outside the Wellington Railway Station at 0800 Monday 9 April with placards on display and leaflets for the public.

Cee Payne explains that the activities are part of the campaign to garner public support for fully funded, quality, public health services and to secure fair recognition for the value the nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants bring to the well-being of all New Zealanders

“The rallies are a great way for nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants to demonstrate their dissatisfaction about the underinvestment into members’ pay and safe staffing and, to bring this to the attention of the public, Grant Brookes said.

 

RALLY SCHEDULE TO DATE:

 

Tuesday 10 April

6.30am to 8.00am and again at 2.00pm to 4.pm

Middlemore Hospital, Auckland

 

Friday 13 April

11.30am to 1.00pm

Hagley Park North, Christchurch

 

2.00pm to 4.00pm

Wellington Hospital

 

2.00pm to 4.00pm

Dunedin Hospital

 

Saturday 14 April

9.00am to 11.00am Masterton Market (Queen and Elizabeth park), Wairarapa

 

Media enquiries to: NZNO Media adviser, Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: #HealthNeedsNursing

 

                                                                        

 

Media Release                                                                              29 March 2018

 

 

New campaign gears up fast to mobilise support

 

After the rejection of the latest DHB Nurses and Midwifery Multi Employer Collective Agreement pay offer, NZNO launched a campaign to mobilise NZNO members and the wider public to highlight the issues facing nurses and the health sector.

 

NZNO campaigns adviser Georgia Choveaux, reports that within 48 hours the campaign attracted several thousand people via its campaign page ‘#healthneedsnursing’.

 

“NZNO has received an excellent response to their first action, an electronic postcard campaign to Ministers,” she said.

 

“The postcard enables our members and the public to directly send messages to the Ministers of Health, Finance and Workplace Relations and Safety.   At the moment we are seeing one postcard being signed every minute.

 

“The activity calls on Ministers to provide further investment targeted to improve pay for our nursing and midwifery teams and ensure our hospitals are safely staffed.

 

Campaign plans are underway to launch activities and rallies for health starting on Monday 9 April.

 

“The rallies will be a way for nurses to demonstrate their dissatisfaction about the underinvestment into members’ pay and safe staffing and to draw public attention to the matter.

 

“The rallies will include local activities that may be anything from rallies outside hospitals, to markets stalls or, postcard sign ups. We will be inviting the wider public to get involved,” Georgia Choveaux said.

 

(https://www.healthneedsnursing.nz/

 

ENDS.

 

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: Infrastructure funding lacking

Media Release                                                                              29 March 2018

 

 

Middlemore underfunded for infrastructure costs

NZNO remains concerned about the air quality at the mouldy buildings in Counties Manukau DHB (CMDHB) and has requested all data from the air monitoring currently being carried out.

NZNO Chief Executive Memo Musa says NZNO organiser Anna Majavu has met with the chief executive of CMDHB, Gloria Johnson, to discuss health risk issues of exposure to mould spores possible in many buildings including: Middlemore Hospital, the Otara Spinal Unit and Manukau Super Clinic and Surgery Centre.

“We are not convinced that the mould will remain contained within the walls. Should spores from the mould become airborne, these pose a risk to the health of anyone who inhales them, particularly patients who have compromised respiratory systems,” Memo Musa said.

“Our delegates have reported that walls are regularly damaged and simply patched over, and we believe there is a possibility that fungal spores are being released. This DHB along with many others have had to operate in an underfunded health system for a decade.

“NZNO is disheartened that the budget allocated to CMDHB for maintenance remains too small to cover even the basic infrastructure maintenance costs of buildings.

“We are now seeing the costs of underfunding of health. There has been far too much focus on balancing DHB books at the cost of maintaining and improving core hospital infrastructure. The potential on-going health and safety risks must be attended to with some urgency,” Memo Musa said.

 

ENDs.

 

 

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: NZNO voice is No

 

 

Media Release                                                                    26 March 2018

 

 

Collective voice of nurses loud and clear

 

Following several weeks of ratification meetings nationwide DHB nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, who are party to the DHB MECA have voted not to ratify the DHB employer offer.

NZNO Industrial Services Manager Cee Payne says this means negotiations with the DHB employer negotiating team have reached an impasse.

“The Employment Relations Authority requires us to continue to act in good faith with the DHB employers through this impasse.  We remain open to any meaningful discussions with the DHB employer negotiating team,” Cee Payne said.

“Our preference is to have the DHB MECA settled. Industrial action is the last resort in the event it is not settled.

“However, mid-April NZNO will discuss the need for a ballot for industrial action with national elected delegates and staff. The nature of what industrial action might consist of will be decided then.

“We understand the impact that industrial action will impose on the health sector. Nurses are responsible and professional and will be concerned to ensure that adequate life preserving services will be available should a strike occur,” she said.

NZNO has today launched a campaign “#HealthNeedsNursing” and a website: (www.healthneedsnursing.nz). The campaign is a call once again to pay nursing and midwifery teams fairly, to ensure safe patient care and to ensure the right infrastructure is in place for public healthcare.

 “Members in DHBs are under huge pressures and feel their work is undervalued in a context of a decade of severe underfunding,” Cee Payne said.

ENDS.

Media enquiries to: Media adviser Karen Coltman 027 431 2617.

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: NZNO Nursing Strategy 2018-2023

Media Release                                                                   22 March 2018

 

Nurses advancing the health of the nation

Me haeretahi tātou mō te hauora me te orange o ngā iwi katoa o Aotearoa: Let us journey together for the health and well-being of the people of Aotearoa.

NZNO tonight launches its Strategy for Nursing 2018-2023 at Travelodge Wellington. NZNO chief executive Memo Musa, president Grant Brookes and kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku are launching it to nurse leaders from around New Zealand.

The conceptual model and the interdependent strategy sections and themes provide a strong platform for implementing strategic actions through NZNO membership and in partnership with aligned professional, legislative, regulatory and community agencies. The strategy can be read in full at: www.nurses.org.nz

Chief Executive Memo Musa says that the NZNO Strategy for Nursing is congruent with the major health strategies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“It provides a unique nursing perspective on how nursing is the solution to meet community health needs and promote health gain in Aotearoa New Zealand. Investment in nursing will deliver universal health coverage and progress the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to ensure better health for everyone,” he said.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere says the strategy is a key tool to help resolve structural and systemic barriers that impede nursing effectiveness in Aotearoa New Zealand, such as restrictive models of care and employment, contractual methods, funding mechanisms and institutional racism.

“The NZNO Strategy for Nursing is a whole-of-profession document, irrespective of the role a nurse has. The strategy pays particular attention to a Māori world view of health, care and support,” she said.

NZNO president:

“Nurses bring a powerful and united voice to serious public health issues that they can’t fix with medicine alone because public health is increasingly connected to global politics about the environment and health care funding by governments. This strategy recognises that,” Grant Brookes said.

 

Ends.

Media Enquires to NZNO Media adviser Karen Coltman: 027 431 2617.

 

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Headline: NZNO MECA meetings coming to a close

 

Media Release                                                                   22 March 2018

 

NZNO MECA meetings coming to a close

 

NZNO Industrial Services Manager Cee Payne explains that voting on the proposed mediated offer on the DHB Multi-Employer Collective Agreement for members employed by DHBs will close on Friday 23 March (tomorrow).

Our members’ decision will be communicated to the DHB employer representatives on Monday 26 March. Members will be informed of their decision shortly thereafter.

The collective employment agreement covers 27,000 nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants.

“The turn out to meetings has been high in this round of DHB MECA negotiations and we acknowledge our members’ commitment to engaging in the ballot when work environments are busy,” Cee Payne said

“A decade of severe health budget underfunding combined with growing community need for health services, and the demands of an ageing population have impacted negatively on our members working lives.

“The ‘#hearourvoice’ social media, NZNO Facebook posts and the NZNO ‘I heart nurses’ campaign reflect the emotion of our members and their real sense of being undervalued.

 “There are a number of complexities involved in this big decision for members this time,” Cee Payne said.

 

 

ENDS.

 

Media Enquires to NZNO Media adviser Karen Coltman: 027 431 2617.