Following yesterday’s announcement that an independent panel is being engaged to assist in resolving the impasse in the DHB NZNO Multi Employer Collective Agreement bargaining, both parties can now confirm the appointments to the Independent Panel.

The panel is comprised of three independent members: An independent chair appointed by the government, one member proposed by the DHBs and one member proposed by NZNO.

Both parties welcome the government appointed chair Professor Margaret Wilson.

“Professor Margaret Wilson represents balance for the parties as we negotiate terms and conditions for 27,000 members of the health workforce,” says Memo Musa, Chief Executive of NZNO and Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Chair of the DHBs’ Employment Relations Strategy Group.

The panel member nominated by the DHBs is Julie Patterson who has a strong background in DHB leadership. The panel member nominated by NZNO is Geoff Annals, a former NZNO chief executive.

The panel will meet next week. After its first meeting and during the next four weeks the Panel will receive submissions from each party on various matters requiring further negotiation in order to reach an agreement on an updated offer that NZNO can present to its members.
The independent panel process involves:
• Both NZNO and the DHBs (the Parties) making individual submissions to the Panel. The submissions will be written and oral - to support the respective claims, offers and settlements put forward in the bargaining process and other issues raised.
• The panel will then deliberate and come back to the Parties with draft recommendations.
• The parties can then submit further submissions to the Panel.
• The final recommendations from the panel will be provided to each party and the Government by mid-May.
• The DHBs will then make an updated offer to NZNO.

ENDS

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