New Zealand Nurses Organisation, May 10, 2004

20,000 members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, from the 21 DHBs, start voting tomorrow in a national ballot to determine whether they will unite in national negotiations to achieve a Fair Pay settlement.

NZNO spokesperson Laila Harré said a “yes” vote would mean that nurses and midwives would be united to negotiate a national pay settlement for the first time in 13 years.

“This ballot is a historic next step in New Zealand nurses’ and midwives’ campaign to achieve pay that is comparable to other similar professions in the state sector,” she said.

Laila Harré said while NZNO members voted on whether their DHB would join national bargaining they would also be asked to endorse the two claims of Fair Pay and Safe Staffing levels in our hospitals.