95bFM Primary health care nurses call for equal pay
29 August, 2022
By Joe Wickins
NZNO president Anne Daniels says that underpaying primary health care nurses is a gender discrimination issue. Photo: New Zealand Nurses Organisation.
Primary health care nurses are rallying around the country today, calling for increased funding from the government.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) said in a statement that "Primary health care nurses will be holding rallies demonstrating the unfair way in which they are paid, particularly when compared to nurses who work for Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand."
Primary health care nurses who work in General Practice, after-hours emergency centres, Plunket, Māori and iwi health providers, Urgent Care and Family Planning have the same qualifications, training, and responsibilities as Te Whatu Ora nurses but are paid significantly less.
A nurse at a medical centre typically earns 10-20 percent less, and nurses working for Māori and iwi providers can earn up to 25 percent less.
According to NZNO, many employers want to pay their staff the same rates as Te Whatu Ora nurses but can't without increased capitation funding from the government.
NZNO president Anne Daniels told 95bFM's The Wire that underpaying primary health care nurses is a gender discrimination issue.
"It's about changing the injustices happening to women and disenfranchising Māori and Pasifika that have been going on for many decades."
"There is no good reason for any nurse to be paid less than hospital nurses for doing the same job."
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