Nursing reports

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 12 March 2021

After ongoing negotiations with Labtests since September last year and mediation in late January, NZNO members have voted to take picket action and commence a 24 hour strike ballot

NZNO organiser Sarah Barker says the decision comes after members rejected two offers which failed to even bring the starting rates up to a living wage.

“Once members rejected the first offer of two percent, Labtests indicated this week they had another offer to present. This offer did not improve the base pay and in fact for some steps was lower than their initial offer, leaving members angry and disappointed.

“We have exhausted formal pathways to urge Labtests to come up with an offer that fairly values these employees”.

“Given they continue to undervalue staff, members have chosen to picket this Saturday 13 March at 2pm, outside Labtests head office at 37 Carbine Road Mt Wellington. We will also undertake a strike ballot.”

Ms Barker says the fact that the starting rates are not at a living wage is insulting given these are skilled workers providing an essential health service.

“Phlebotomists are regulated and skilled health care professionals required to hold practising certificates.

“They are essential frontline workers who are vital to patient treatment and diagnosis and yet by 1 April Labtests will be paying them just three cents above the minimum wage.”

She says Labtests is part of a profit-driven company which runs labs all over Aotearoa and holds several contracts with district health boards.

“Our lab staff are being exploited and they’re fed up. They work hard for our communities.

“COVID has surely shown us where our priorities should be. Labtests needs to ensure all its workers are paid well and that their starting rate is at least the living wage.”

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Media inquiries: Hugo Robinson, NZNO Assistant Media and Communications Advisor: 021 194 3408.

Māori nurses are tired of waiting for long-overdue action addressing the 25 percent pay gap between themselves and those working for district health boards.

Kerri Nuku, Kaiwhakahaere of Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa/New Zealand Nurses Organisation, says Māori nurses have been pursuing justice for years but have yet to see any concrete change.

"We’ve been on this kaupapa at least since 2006. We’ve spoken to successive governments and presented evidence time and again to action groups and the Waitangi Tribunal about the systemic racism we endure.

"Yet, despite our efforts, all we’ve been receiving is sympathy. What we really need is action."

Ms Nuku says the Government is more than willing to send Māori nurses to fight on the frontline, but that work is not being recognized and they remain at the back of the line when it comes to being valued.

"We are the ones on the ground, on the frontlines, doing the work to dismantle the systemic barriers facing health for our people. Without us, health inequities would be far worse than they are.

"So when will our contribution be acknowledged? When is the Government going to put Māori nurses first?"

Ms Nuku says Māori nurses are again trying to raise their case at the Waitangi Tribunal Mana Wahine inquiry, but says nurses can’t and shouldn’t have to wait until the end of the inquiry for action to happen.

"We keep opening the same wounds and reliving the same trauma for Crown lawyers to argue against, or at best, for politicians to feel bad about.

"But the injustice we face is real and tangible. We are paid drastically less than our Pākehā counterparts, and kaupapa Māori services are chronically underfunded.

"The Government must uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and address the structural racism in the healthcare system. An urgent and crucial step in this is equal pay for Māori Nurses."

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Media Inquiries: Hugo Robinson, NZNO Assistant Media and Communications Advisor, 021 194 3408 

Māori nurses are tired of waiting for long-overdue action addressing the 25 percent pay gap between themselves and those working for district health boards.

Kerri Nuku, Kaiwhakahaere of Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa/New Zealand Nurses Organisation, says Māori nurses have been pursuing justice for years but have yet to see any concrete change.

"We’ve been on this kaupapa at least since 2006. We’ve spoken to successive governments and presented evidence time and again to action groups and the Waitangi Tribunal about the systemic racism we endure.

"Yet, despite our efforts, all we’ve been receiving is sympathy. What we really need is action."

Ms Nuku says the Government is more than willing to send Māori nurses to fight on the frontline, but that work is not being recognized and they remain at the back of the line when it comes to being valued.

"We are the ones on the ground, on the frontlines, doing the work to dismantle the systemic barriers facing health for our people. Without us, health inequities would be far worse than they are.

"So when will our contribution be acknowledged? When is the Government going to put Māori nurses first?"

Ms Nuku says Māori nurses are again trying to raise their case at the Waitangi Tribunal Mana Wahine inquiry, but says nurses can’t and shouldn’t have to wait until the end of the inquiry for action to happen.

"We keep opening the same wounds and reliving the same trauma for Crown lawyers to argue against, or at best, for politicians to feel bad about.

"But the injustice we face is real and tangible. We are paid drastically less than our Pākehā counterparts, and kaupapa Māori services are chronically underfunded.

"The Government must uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and address the structural racism in the healthcare system. An urgent and crucial step in this is equal pay for Māori Nurses."

Media Inquiries: Hugo Robinson, NZNO Assistant Media and Communications Advisor, 021 194 3408 

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 12 February 2021

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is urging Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to invest time into hearing real stories from frontline MIQ nurses and other health workers.

The Prime Minister has stated publicly that frontline MIQ workers are being prioritised, but NZNO believes the Government is not listening to nurses’ voices so there is little trust on the part of these health workers.

“During the first and second waves of COVID we don’t feel that the Ministry of Health responded to the matters we raised in a timely way. NZNO has repeatedly alerted the Government to issues of concern to our members but these don’t get addressed until a crisis occurs,” said NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku.

“We have nurses and other health workers who are working long hours, feeling unsafe and burnt out – and many are leaving the workforce. There are others being given inadequate training coming into poorly managed facilities.”

Ms Nuku says NZNO members can’t wait for another crisis for there to be action.

“As Professor Michael Baker and others have said, we are at a crucial time for the rollout of the vaccine and our MIQ workers are central to ensuring the safety of us all.

“And nurses must be allowed to speak up without fear of retribution from their employers.

“We invite the Prime Minister to engage with us and understand our stories. The Government needs to understand the realities for our workers, listen to them and hear their solutions.”

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) media release, 10 February 2021

Renowned Ngāti Hine rangatira and nurse Marie Noa has received the Te Rūnanga o Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa  (NZNO) Akenehi Hei Award for her dedication to the health of whānau Māori in Te Tai Tokerau and around Aotearoa.

The ceremony took place in Tāmaki Makaurau, where the previous recipient Moe Milne handed the taonga over to Whāea Marie. Both Ms Milne and Ms Noa were joined by their whānau as well as Te Poari o Te Rūnanga o Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa.

The award recognises Ms Noa for her long-standing contribution to Māori health in a career that has spanned more than six decades. Since starting as a health care assistant in Whāngarei, she has worked across DHB, community and iwi providers and is currently a Tamariki Ora nurse based at Ngāti Hine Health Trust. 

All who spoke at the ceremony highlighted Whāea Marie’s love of life and rich creativity.  NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku praised Ms Noa for her commitment to playfulness and colour, telling a story of one of Marie’s memorable presentations.

“We were at a hui for Tamariki Ora which we thought would be business as usual. Then Whāea Marie came up on stage and, rather than opening up a PowerPoint, pulled out colourful scarves and began with dance.

“Her insistence on play and creativity, coupled with her significant experience and dedication to helping whānau understand their health situation in a holistic way, has made a significant impact on people’s health in Te Tai Tokerau, especially for tamariki.” 

Ms Nuku also spoke highly of Ms Noa’s commitment to Te Rūnanga.

“As a rangatira, she has been to every hui for years where she actively participates and shares her knowledge. She is an honorary member of Te Rūnanga ō Te Tai Tokerau, an integral part of their tuakana/teina model.

“Whāea Marie is a unique and vibrant person who has enlightened us all and we acknowledge her for her all she does for Tai Tokerau and Aotearoa.”

Te rangatira, he kairanga i te tira, i te tira o te hapū, o te iwi, ki ngā haere, ki ngā mahi e pā ana ki te hapū, ki te iwi. He kaiārahi. He kaitīmata, he kaiwhakatutuki i ngā mahi, ka whai ai te iwi i raro

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release 3 February 2021

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says around 100 of its members working for the Family Planning Association (FPA) as nurses, medical receptionists/administrators and health promoters have voted to strike from 7.00am on 16 February to 7.00am on 17 February 2021.

The strike notice was issued this week after members rejected the latest offer in collective agreement negotiations, because it failed to fully address longstanding wage inequity and did not provide a tangible process to achieve this.

NZNO Lead Advocate Chris Wilson says FPA staff are simply asking for their expertise to be recognised by giving them equitable pay.

“FPA nurses provide expert care in sexual and reproductive health for our communities and have to train and attain additional competencies to deliver the services Family Planning provides, including nurse prescribing.

“However, experienced FPA nurses are currently paid at least 8 percent less than their DHB counterparts. FPA nurse practitioners earn between 10 and 27 percent less than if they worked in the DHB.

“Further, three out of the four pay rates for medical receptionist and administration roles are below the living wage which is absolutely unacceptable.

“Because of this pay inequity, members say it is getting very difficult to find and keep staff, and this makes it harder for people in need to access this specialist service.

The FPA says the current situation is the result of a decade of underfunding, but Ms Wilson says that does not justify the undervaluation of their work.

“NZNO acknowledges that the FPA has sought additional Government funding in the past to no avail, but staff at the FPA should not have to pay for the shortfall by working for lower wages.

The parties will attend mediation on Wednesday 10 February before the strike occurs and it is hoped a resolution will be found.

"These members have never gone on strike, and don’t want to. They are passionate about their work and want to attract more staff to the service,” Ms Wilson said.

“But, in order to do so, all administration and receptionists must have a living wage, and nurses must be paid the same as their peers. Not doing so is an injustice for health workers, and it ultimately affects the quality of care they provide for the community.”

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 22 December 2020

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says unpreparedness for COVID-19 and a sustained lack of investment in the resources required for safe staffing have left nurses and health care workers at Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) feeling unsafe and fearful for patient safety.

There have been more than 250 unsafe staffing incident reports in the last three months at ADHB which runs Auckland Hospital and the Greenlane Clinical Centre.

NZNO Organiser Justine Sachs said senior nurses have reported that inadequate resource allocation has led to a budget blow-out especially regarding nursing staff.

“To help cope, ADHB has stopped hiring or recruiting external nurses, and staff usually available to fill unexpected leave have been allocated to managed isolation facilities.

“This has resulted in extreme difficulty finding cover for unexpected leave. If someone calls in sick there is no one to replace them and this has created a staffing crisis.”

Ms Sachs says nurses are telling NZNO the situation is so dangerous that they feel scared to come into work.

“Many are working unsustainable levels of overtime to make up for the shortfall, and they worry every single day about harm coming to patients as a result of unsafe staffing levels.”

She said the situation is the result of our health care system prioritising financial and budgeting goals over patient and staff safety.

“We need our health care budget to meet patient and staff needs, not the other way around. The systematic underfunding of health care by successive governments has led to overrun hospitals and nurses struggling to meet patient needs safely.

“We’re also totally unprepared to manage any kind of sustained community outbreak of COVID-19 if we’re unable to meet normal patient demand.

“This pandemic has shown how important it is to have a well-resourced health care system.

“It’s just not good enough, and we could do so much better.”

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

Te Rūnanga o Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa/New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 16 December 2020

Te Rūnanga o Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa mourns the passing of Dr Rose Pere, revered tōhuna tipua and leader for the revitalisation of indigenous knowledge and life throughout the world.

Te Rūnanga Tumu whakarae Titihuia Pakeho said Dr Pere informed many indigenous nurses’ journey with holistic ways of looking at health.

"Her name was frequently used in our nursing studies by our tutors alongside Irihapeti Ramsden, Mason Durie and others.

"She played a significant part in my studies as a strong Māori wahine who maintained her staunch dedication to health for our Māori people and to any kaupapa she believed in."

Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku recalls when Whaea Rose presented to the Indigenous Nurses Conference in 2019.

"Her presence was deeply felt and received. The waiata she sang with us all, Aio ki te Aorangi, aligned the mauri in the room and anchored the feeling of aroha and unity that we are trying to build."

Ms Nuku also praised Dr Pere’s work in advocating for re-indigenisation and the re-awakening of people’s relationship with each other and the earth.

"Whaea Rose did lots of significant education across cultures. She did it with respect, authenticity, and an unwavering commitment to the social and spiritual shift that must occur for justice for indigenous peoples and all beings on this earth.

"When I’ve presented at the United Nations many indigenous elders come up to me to send her love, which is testament to the resonance her mahi had across the globe. Her presence will be missed by many."

Kua rangona te aue o te ngākau pouri, o te hinengaro mamae. Te reo o ngā manu e tiotio, e orooro ana te mamae o te hunga Ora.

Mau e te tōtara kua hinga atu rā, kua kapohia te ringa kaha o aituā e kore taea te karo.

E kui Rose moe mai rā, moe mai rā.

E kore e warewaretia.

Kua oti tō mahi ki tēnei ao okioki ai.

Nā te ngākau i te rawa.

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 3 December 2020

The Board of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) regrets to announce the resignation of NZNO Chief Executive Memo Musa.

NZNO President Heather Symes said Mr Musa, who took up the Chief Executive role in May 2013, has provided much needed stability to NZNO over the time of his tenure.

“Memo has improved the organisation’s strategic direction, and his work has substantially helped strengthen our national and international union and nursing alliances, which has enabled more open and collaborative engagement. He has continued to support members through some significant events, such as the industrial action of 2018 and the impact of COVID-19 on the nursing profession.

“He has shown staunch support for his team and a genuine willingness to do the right thing for members. We are grateful for his resilience, professionalism and commitment to the organisation.”

Mr Musa, a registered mental health nurse, is leaving to become Chief Executive Officer for Platform/Atamira Trust, which works with organisations providing support to people and their whānau who are directly impacted by mental health and addiction. His last day with NZNO will be 26 February 2021.

Ms Symes said the Board and all of NZNO wish Mr Musa and his family well with this new opportunity.

“We are sure Memo will continue to make a significant contribution to health care in Aotearoa New Zealand in this new role and in all his future endeavours. Considering NZNO is very active in the mental health nursing realm, it is very likely our paths will continue to cross and we look forward to that.”

She said the Board will soon commence the recruitment process for a new Chief Executive.

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation media release, 13 November 2020

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) remains greatly concerned at the lack of action by DHBs, the Ministry of Health and MBIE to protect its members working in Government MIQs. The union and professional organisation is now considering strongly encouraging and supporting nurses in MIQs to take action under the Health and Safety and Work Act (HSWA).

NZNO Industrial Services Manager Glenda Alexander said we know we are dealing with a proven highly infectious airborne pathogen that is a serious and significant risk to nurses, other health workers and to the health of all New Zealanders.

“We’ve known the virus is airborne since very early in the year, so it’s alarming that our members working in MIQ still do not have consistent access to N95 masks, or the fit tests that make them effective in preventing airborne transmission.

“The two nurses and defence force staff member who recently tested positive did not have access to N95 masks and this is a clear breach of the HSWA and puts our members and the community at an unacceptable risk. We are now considering using procedures under the HSWA to call a halt to the work all our members are doing if it is not deemed safe.

 “That three employees working in MIQs have been infected is a serious harm incident under the HSWA, and it was preventable had PPE been distributed and used correctly – as evidenced from international facilities.

“Unless New Zealand keeps up and uses proven PPE practices there will be many more infections in MIQs and eventually large community outbreaks.”

Ms Alexander said NZNO does not wish for its nurses in MIQs to invoke provisions under the HSWA, but will be forced to do so if there is not immediate action by MBIE, the Ministry of Health, and Defence.

“The biggest risk of outbreaks in the wider population has always been recognised as coming from people returning to the country with the virus. And frankly it’s a no brainer that MIQ staff only using surgical masks, which are not effective against airborne transmission, is the route and source of recent community outbreaks.

“That staff working in these facilities have not been issued with the highest level of protection is a violation of the HSWA. Under the Act our members can tell their employers they refuse to do work they consider unsafe. Trained health and safety representatives can also order work to cease immediately if there are significant safety concerns.

“The COVID-19 Pandemic is a rapidly changing situation and we all need to learn as we respond. This is not happening and we are going to see increased risks to the lives of our people and the wellbeing of our communities as a result. We cannot let this continue.”

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Media inquiries: Rob Zorn, NZNO Media and Communications Advisor: 027 431 2617.