Nurses pay offer creates significant increase

Nurses pay offer creates significant increase

District Health Boards say their latest pay offer is a very fair deal that recognises the skill and experience of its registered nurses and midwives with a significant increase in pay over the next 18 months.

DHB spokesperson Helen Mason says the offer outlined to the NZNO yesterday is valued at half a billion dollars, almost double the previous offer and is a package of measures that includes three pay rises and two new steps on the pay scale as well as a significant lump sum (detailed below).

“When all the different elements of the package are put together, the average earnings of an experienced registered nurse at the top of the scale will go up by more than $10,000 during the term of this deal – that almost $200 a week more than they earn now.

“An experienced registered nurse would currently earn $80,163 made up of base pay with allowances and penal rates. Within 18 months, the average income would rise to $92,911 when all elements of the offer are applied.

“This information is drawn from DHB payroll data and is based on the actual average earnings of RN5s – registered nurses on the top of their pay scale who make up about half the total workforce.

Ms Mason say the Independent Panel set up to help settle these negotiations had publicly released its recommendations and there is intense public interest especially given the potential for strike action.

“I think people want to know that DHBs have taken on board the panel’s recommendations that responded to the nurses’ concerns.

“I hope nurses will take time to consider the offer that we understand will be explained to them by their union on Thursday.”

DHB media release re NZNO MECA Negotiations
29 May 2018

The revised offer

Term Expires 31 July 2020
Lump sum payment $2,000 to be paid on ratification (pro-rated for part-time and casuals)
Pay adjustments 4 June 2018 – 3% on all scales
6 August 2018 – 3% on all scales
5 August 2019 – 3% on all scales
Removal of salary step SN1 from the senior nurse and midwife salary scale and a further 1% added to the SN2 to SN8 Senior Nurse wage rates from 4 June 2018
Additional steps RN/M6 - $72,944 introduced 3 December 2018
RN/M7 - $77,386 introduced 2 December 2019
(RN/Ms with over 12 months on RN5 to progress on these dates)
Enrolled Nurses Professional Development Recognition Programme Increase proficient from $2,500 to $3,000, and accomplished from $4,000 to $4,500 at 4 June 2018
On-call allowance Increase from $4.04 to $8.00 (and $6.06 to $10.00 for public holidays) from 4 June 2018
Nursing staffing improvements $750k additional investment in the SSHW Unit to support fast-tracked CCDM Implementation
An immediate 2% investment in additional nursing staff ($38M)
An additional 2 FTE per 600 nursing FTE for CCDM implementation within DHBs ($10M)

Nursing workforce at a glance
Headcount FTE

Registered Nurses and Midwives 20030 14460
Community Nurses and Midwives 2030 1540
Enrolled Nurses 940 680
Health Care Assistants 4030 2610
Senior Nurses and Midwives 4400 3640
Totals 31430 22930

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