Community Nurses Continue To Battle For Higher Wages

About 150 community health nurses employed by Access Home Health continue with their struggle for fair wages and respect from their employer. The nurses are members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO).

Despite further talks following their first strike on 15 July, Monday will see yet another round of industrial action following a ratification ballot this week where members voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest offer from Access and down tools.

Union members will hold lunchtime pickets on Monday in Petone (Wellington), Palmerston North, Christchurch and Invercargill calling on Access to return to the bargaining table with a better offer.

NZNO delegate Linda Ewbank who nurses in Taranaki says the previous strike had resulted in an offer of $1 an hour which was turned down as it was not close to delivering pay parity with nurses working at Te Whatu Ora.

Ewbank said they have been in bargaining for more than a year and in mediation at least another three times without making inroads.

"We do the same jobs as our colleagues in Te Whatu Ora. We have the same training. We apply the same skills. And we largely work on our own without immediate support.

"It is unacceptable that a private organisation, owned by an Australian investment company is allowed to underpay its staff.

"Access blames the Government for underfunding the sector. But Access is happy to take those government contracts and underpay the nurses at the heart of its business.

"It is unacceptable to undervalue nurses who spend their working day caring for vulnerable people."

NZNO has agreed to provide life preserving services where needed.

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