Unions ratify landmark pay equity agreement

Union members have ratified a landmark agreement signed by their union leaders on Monday 17 July 2017, with the Ministries of Social Development and Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki.

The historic settlement will deliver significant pay increases and more training for about 1700 vocational and disability care and support workers.

"Our aim in settling this pay equity claim is a better paid, more stable and highly trained workforce, leading to higher quality and more consistent care for disabled clients," Brendan Boyle says.

Grainne Moss says, "We value disability care and support workers’ major contributions to realising the disability sector vision of enabling good lives. This really is a red letter day for these care and support workers."

It affects contracts for around 300 services accessed by about 24,500 people and children with disabilities, at a projected cost of $55.8 million over five years.

These workers have faced very similar pay equity issues to those of care and support workers in the health and rehabilitation sector. This latest settlement addresses historic pay equity disparities in line with the April 2017 TerraNova agreement.

Chief executives Brendan Boyle (Ministry of Social Development) and Grainne Moss (Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki) signed the MSD/MVCOT Agreement on 17 July jointly with leaders from the two unions representing the workers - John Ryall (E tu Union) and Kerry Davies (Public Service Association).

More information is available here: http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/newsroom/media-releases/2017/landmark-pay-equity-agreement.html

ENDS

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