29 Jun 2018

Nurses union calls off first strike after new offer from DHBs

4:24 pm on 29 June 2018

The nurses union has called off its strike planned for next Thursday after receiving an updated offer from District Health Boards around pay and working conditions.

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About 100 nurses protested outside Christchurch Hospital earlier this year. Photo: RNZ / Logan Church

The Employment Relations Authority has been facilitating talks with the New Zealand Nurses Union and DHBs over the past two days after months of failed negotiations.

Two 24-hour strikes had been scheduled to take place on 5 and 12 July.

In a statement released this afternoon, NZNO said it had received a revised offer from the DHBs, which it would be recommending to its members.

DHBs previously offered a package worth $520 million, which included pay increases of between 9 and 15 percent, and a 2 percent increase in staffing numbers.

Spokeswoman Cee Payne said the DHB had now made an improved offer.

"Over the weekend, details of the revised offer, including the terms of settlement will be developed and checked for accuracy by the NZNO Negotiation Team.

"We expect to be able to release the full details of this revised offer to members on Monday 2 July at approximately 2pm," she said.

Ms Payne said contingency planning for the second strike, on 12 July, would continue as that strike notice remained in place.

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