Pay dispute ends for Oceania nurses

Around 1500 nurses and staff at New Zealand’s largest aged care provider have secured a 3.22 per cent pay rise, putting an end to their long-running pay dispute.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation and the Service and Food Workers Union announced the deal, which fell slightly short of the union’s calls for a 3.5 per cent pay rise, but which also secured protection of overtime and other rights.

At its peak, the protracted nine-month dispute involved four-hour nursing strikes at more than 20 of Oceania Group’s 58 retirement villages and rest homes nationally, which provide care for more than 4000 New Zealanders.

The industrial action followed reports many experienced Oceania nurses were earning up to $9000 less than similarly experienced colleagues at public hospitals.

SFWU spokesperson Alastair Duncan said the dispute highlighted widespread underfunding in the sector and a lack of focus on valuing care staff.

“The key issue in this dispute was getting government money passed on to the workforce and we are pleased that Oceania has now understood the need to pass on the funding it receives from District Health Boards to the care staff,” he said.

The Oceania agreement