NZNO HNZCA
Campaign 2022

Tēnā koe Member,

A strike ballot for Te Whatu Ora members opened on 12 July and closed today at midday.

There was extremely high member turnout in the ballot and the outcome was a decisive vote in favour of the following strike action:

All NZNO members employed by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and who will be covered by the bargaining initiated on the 14 September 2022 for a new Te Whatu Ora/NZNO Nursing and Midwifery Collective Agreement undertake a total withdrawal of labour starting at 0700 hours on 9 August 2023 and ending at 0700 hours on 10 August 2023 at every place where Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand provides health care services or hospital care services. 

The next step will be for a strike notice to be issued to Te Whatu Ora. This will happen on 24 July and we will commence preparations for a 9/10 August strike.

Collective agreement bargaining developments
The purpose of strike action will be to put pressure on Te Whatu Ora to come back with a better offer in collective agreement bargaining. Collective agreement negotiations continued during the period of the strike ballot and on 17 July Te Whatu Ora did make an improved collective agreement offer.

Download the collective agreement offer.

It is now for members to consider and vote on this new offer. A collective agreement ratification ballot will be held from 1-7 August.

If the outcome of this ballot is to accept Te Whatu Ora’s offer for a new collective agreement, the strike will not continue and the new collective agreement will come into force.

If members vote against Te Whatu Ora’s offer for a new collective agreement the strike on 9/10 August will go ahead and negotiations for a new collective agreement will continue.

Note that we see this as an offer only, and not a terms of settlement, as there are still significant differences between what we have claimed and what is being offered (around issues such as pay, safe staffing and health and safety). We will hold online meetings next week and have resources available that will help clarify the offer and inform your decision-making. Information about these will be provided when it is confirmed.

Pay Equity ratification vote
Next week Te Whatu Ora employees will vote on whether or not to accept the Pay Equity proposal that arose from mediation between Te Whatu Ora, NZNO and the PSA. 

See our recent email about this.

The Pay Equity ballot, which will be open from 24-31 July, is a completely separate matter from the collective agreement negotiations. However, the outcome of the vote on Pay Equity will have implications in terms of wage rates in the collective agreement. We will inform members of the outcome of the Pay Equity ballot prior to commencing the ratification process for the collective agreement.

Timeline
18 July – Collective agreement offer released to members
19 July – Collective agreement strike ballot closes at midday
24 July – Collective agreement strike notice issued to Te Whatu Ora if members vote to strike
Week of 24 July – Member meetings and resources to clarify the Te Whatu Ora collective agreement offer
24 July – Pay Equity ratification vote opens
31 July – Pay Equity ratification vote closes
1 August – Collective agreement ratification vote opens
7 August – Collective agreement ratification vote closes
7 August – Members and Te Whatu Ora advised whether the strike notice remains in place or is withdrawn depending on the outcome of the collective agreement ratification vote.
9 August – Proposed strike day (7am 9 August – 7am 10 August)

We will continue to update you as these matters progress and details become firmer. It is important that you are well-informed so you can make the best decisions when voting on these important matters.

Ngā mihi,

Paul Goulter, Chief Executive
NZNO Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa