$300m Government Funding Injection Needed For Health Pay
“Health workers in the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) are calling on the Government to inject extra funds to
provide for pay increases for all public sector health workers,” said Nadine Marshall, Secretary of the National Union
of Public Employees (NUPE) today. She was commenting on the NUPE negotiations which begin on Friday for about 700 health
workers at the CDHB, the first of a number which follow the recent settlement of the NZNO Nurses Agreement.
“NUPE covers CDHB staff including nurses, other clinical staff such as Social Workers and Occupational Therapists, and
support staff such as clerical, maintenance and orderlies. These staff work in teams across Princess Margaret,
Hillmorton, Burwood, Christchurch Womens’, and Christchurch Hospitals, and various other sites in Canterbury including
Dental Therapists and Assistants working at school Dental Clinics.”
“The Government is putting in $380m extra to pay for the nurses settlement,” said Nadine Marshall. “NUPE estimates that
to give a similar pay increase to all public sector health workers would cost about $300m. Fifteen of years of wage
suppression in the state sector has contributed to a huge Government surplus ($6b). Now it must be used in part for 30%
pay rises for all health workers.”
“The Minister of Health accepted in December that the pay settlement for DHB nurses would cost the government ‘even more
money as other health workers call for similar wage hikes.’ Her further comment that ‘the government has not made
provision for flow-on pay claims, because it does not yet know how big they will be,’ is irresponsible as the Minister
admitted that this would put pressure on District Health Boards, who are effectively left rearranging the deck chairs on
the titanic.”
“Health workers do not want to be placed in the position where operations for patients have to be cancelled to provide
fair pay for employees,” said Nadine Marshall. “The Government must place funds with Boards to settle these agreements
quickly.”