20 September 2005
Nurses Show Power Of Collective Action
"Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation have shown the power of collective action by winning our fair pay claim
in DHBs and are now set to collectively achieve our other goals," said NZNO president Jane O’Malley today, on the eve of
the organisation’s national annual conference in Auckland.
Over 200 members of the Nurses Organisation are gathering for their two-day conference around the theme – Freed To Care,
Proud To Nurse.
Jane O’Malley said NZNO membership was surging towards 40,000 and membership had grown by around 10% in the past 18
months.
Jane O’Malley said nurses, midwives and health assistants could be justifiably proud of winning the Fair Pay goals
through collective campaigning.
“Also essential to winning our goal was a government which supported collective bargaining and the framework of the
Employment Relations Act.”
“Now, with even greater collective strength, we need to build on that success by collectively campaigning for pay parity
in primary health and aged care and for safe staffing for all our members and all New Zealanders needing care,” she
said.
Jane O’Malley will outline NZNO’s goals to the conference tomorrow at 11.20 and will deliver her farewell speech to
conference delegates on Thursday at 2pm.
ENDS