The Council of Trade Unions is calling on the Government and Minister of Health, Hon Andrew Little, to focus on finding a solution to the current dispute with our nation’s nurses and their union, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

"We need the Government to make an offer which is acceptable to nurses. Nurses have clearly become disillusioned with commitments made in the past that have not been actioned," CTU President Richard Wagstaff said.

"The NZNO is a proud union with a strong history of defending and advancing the rights and interests of nurses in Aotearoa. The Minister must respect the members union and the democratic decisions members have made to reject the latest offer."

"Now is the time to find solutions, not to question the nurses’ union for expressing the views of members."

"Nurses are the front line of the health system and we all depend the them. They have made it abundantly clear that the current staffing levels and the risks associated with them have to be addressed immediately and decisively. The mediation set down for tomorrow is a critical opportunity to resolve these issues and put an end to this dispute."

"We urge the Government to prioritise nurses and patients and meet nurses call for resourcing to secure safe staffing," Wagstaff said.

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