The union for 3,500 mental health and public health nurses and mental health assistants will begin mediation tomorrow to try and resolve long standing issues around pay and safe staffing levels.

The mediation, which is provided by MBIE, comes two weeks after these critical frontline workers joined more than 13,000 Allied Health and PAKS (Policy, Advisory, Knowledge and Specialist) PSA members in the nationwide strikes.

"These health workers operate in Emergency Departments, in-patient clinics and in the community 24/7 supporting New Zealanders facing mental health challenges.

"They deserve to be better respected and valued, and staffing levels need to increase so they can do their jobs safely and effectively," said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

"These health workers have yet to receive even a meaningful offer for a new collective agreement that addresses safe staffing levels after 29 days of bargaining over the past year. They are also seeking a pay increase that keeps pace with the increased cost of living facing them and their families.

"These are the health workers who help New Zealanders when they're at their most vulnerable. They work in challenging environments, face cost of living pressures like everyone else, and are struggling with inadequate staffing levels that put both workers and patients at risk.

"The threats to their safety are real - they face increasing assaults and the risks are rising due to low staffing.

"Phase 3 of the Police Mental Health Response Change Programme begins on 17 November, which will see police further reduce time spent supporting mental health staff. This makes safe staffing levels even more urgent.

"The workers are also voting for further strike action throughout November which will occur if tomorrow’s mediation does not settle this dispute.

"Now more than ever, the Government needs to properly fund mental health services so these essential workers can continue to support New Zealanders who need them most. We can’t afford more health workers to go offshore to countries like Australia where they are better valued."

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