Health New Zealand and the nurses' union are locked in a dispute over a new collective agreement
Health New Zealand has expressed disappointment after the nurses' union announced strike action on July 30 as dispute over their collective agreement continues.
The agency said it is concerned about the strike's potential impact on patients waiting for planned care and specialist appointments.
"We are disappointed at the vote by New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members to take strike action when there is a reasonable offer from Health NZ still sitting on the table," said Health NZ acting chief executive Robyn Shearer in a statement.
"We believe further bargaining is the best way forward to resolve outstanding issues and avoid the disruption to patients of costly strike action."
Strike action on July 30
More than 36,000 Health NZ nurses, midwives, health care assistants, and other health workers have voted to strike for 24 hours, the NZNO announced last Friday.
The strike will be held from 9:00 a.m. on July 30 until 9:00 a.m. on July 31.
According to the NZNO, the strike will be a complete withdrawal of labour at every place in New Zealand where Te Whatu Ora provides health or hospital care services.
Life-preserving services, however, will continue to be provided.
The vote came after the union rejected the government's latest offer, which would give them a two per cent pay increase in 2025 and another one per cent hike by 2026.
"This latest offer from Te Whatu Ora fails to address concerns about safe staffing despite them being raised continually throughout the collective agreement bargaining process," said NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter in a statement.
Goulter said Te Whatu Ora data obtained by NZNO showed that 50% of all day shifts between January and November last year were understaffed across hospital wards in 16 health districts.
"Te Whatu Ora needs to do more to retain our nursing workforce, employ graduate nurses, and ensure patients get the care they need," the NZNO chief executive said.
"This is about the health and wellbeing of real people and their whānau, not the need to meet some arbitrary budget set by the Government."
Health NZ operations
Hospitals and emergency departments will remain open should the strike action go ahead. However, some clinics will be closed and planned care appointments will be postponed, according to Health NZ.
"All patients impacted by the strike will be contacted directly by hospital staff," it stated. "Any appointments that are deferred due to the strike action will be rescheduled for the next available opportunity."
