Te Rau Kōkiri is the campaign to achieve pay parity for Māori and Iwi health workers.
Māori and Iwi health workers earn up to 25% less than their colleagues in hospital settings. Pay parity will mean better health and well-being for our communities and all New Zealanders.
NZNO and employers are leading a ground-breaking campaign to achieve pay parity, fairness and justice.
Te Rau Kōkiri project update
Read the latest about the Te Rau Kōkiri collective negotiations on page 6 of the Winter 2012 Primary Action newsletter.
Read the latest Bulletin!
Show your support with a Te Rau Kōkiri T-Shirt
Show your support and get the message across with a stylish Te Rau Kōkiri T-Shirt!
Details and order form (Word)
Whiri Presentation, 22 October 2010, Whanganui
In September 2010 communities gathered together to whatu (weave) a section of whāriki (mat). Each part of the whāriki represents the value each community places on Aotearoa’s highly-prized Māori health workforce.
The completed whāriki will be a symbol for hope for pay parity in the Māori and iwi health sector. The mats will be joined in a special hui in Whanganui and presented to Associate Minister of Health, Hon.
Te Rau Kōkiri Campaign Background Information
11 October 2010
Te Rau Kōkiri Campaign Factsheet, including Pay Gap information (PDF, 4 pages)
What you can do
Support your colleagues working in Te Rau Kōkiri worksites and this campaign by:
- attending local events in your region and help raise the campaign profile and attract media attention
- signing a postcard to illustrate your support and encouraging other members at your worksite to do the same
The postcard campaign will be directed at Associate Minister of Health, Hon. Tariana Turia. Please encourage other members at your worksite to sign one too.
- talking to your whanau, colleagues and friends about this important campaign
- contacting your workplace delegate to find out how else you can get involved
- checking this webpage regulary for updates
Letter to NZNO Members
Letter from Kerri Nuku (Kaiwhakahaere, Te Runanga o Aotearoa) and Nano Tunnicliff (NZNO President), dated 20 April 2010. (pdf)
Te Rau Kōkiri MECA Updates
Further information and resources
About the Te Rau Kōkiri campaign
Te Rau Kōkiri is the Māori and iwi multi-employer collective agreement (MECA) that is fighting for pay parity for these NZNO members in the primary health care sector.
The NZNO Board of Directors have identified Te Rau Kōkiri MECA as one of the NZNO priority projects for 2010.
Our members working for Māori and iwi health providers have the skills, qualifications and experience that are essential to improve health outcomes for Māori – and they are being paid significantly less than their colleagues in other sectors. This is an issue of equity and must be addressed.
In 2008 more than 11,000 people signed a petition calling on the Government to address the considerable pay inequities in the Māori and iwi health workforce by improving the funding to the sector. This call for equity was declined in 2009 but we will not give up – hence the refocused 2010 campaign.
It is NZNO members who will lead the campaign. NZNO members must engage and actively pursue pay equity. To have any hope of success we must build momentum within our membership and in our communities. We will know our campaign is successful when we can pressure Government to make pay parity a reality for workers in Māori and iwi health providers.
Me hikoi tahi tatou! Kia mau, kia ita ki Te Rau Kōkiri MECA!
Let us walk together! Grab on and hold fast to Te Rau Kōkiri MECA!
On 27 November 2007 negotiations began for a MECA covering NZNO members employed by Māori and Iwi providers in the primary health sector.
The negotiations cover:
- registered nurses
- practice nurses
- community nurses
- community midwives
- enrolled nurses
- community health workers
- health care assistants
- social workers
- administration staff
We must succeed in this goal to ensure the Māori and Iwi provider workforce is valued equitably and to encourage that workforce to remain in the vitally important Māori community health sector.
This is absolutely essential for the implementation of the Government’s primary health strategy and to improve health outcomes for Māori.