Source: Radio New Zealand
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Bargaining over pay and conditions has stretched into its second year for nurses and senior doctors, while bargaining for junior doctors is just beginning.
The collective agreement for senior doctors with the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) expired in August, 2024.
Nurses, too, through the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), have been in bargaining for nearly as long, with their negotiations beginning in September 2024. Both unions have held strikes.
Health New Zealand confirmed that in 2025, three offers were made to senior doctors and two to nurses, which were all declined.
“We are continuing to work with ASMS and NZNO in good faith and have already held several bargaining dates in 2026 with more planned in the coming weeks,” said a HNZ spokesperson in a statement.
In September, [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/498384/employment-relations-authority-asked-to-step-in-over-senior-doctor-pay-dispute
Health NZ called for the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) to step in] and force doctors into a contract, saying the union had breached the obligations of good faith.
An employment law specialist told RNZ at the time it was an unprecedented move for the public sector.
In November, with the union against it, the ERA declined to step in, saying there was a high bar to meet and there had been no serious and sustained breaches of good faith.
“The parties are a distance apart but it is not unusual in bargaining for a lot of progress to be made in a short time, even after a long period of little progress,” said authority member Nicola Craig at the time.
ASMS chief executive Sarah Dalton told RNZ on Friday the gap between the parties was smaller than ever, but still not fully closed.
“I do believe the gap has been closing, and we’re not wildly far apart, but the most recent position they put to us – which was not a formal offer but a position – was still short of what our executive believes would be enough to take something back to our members.”
“I hope that we will settle sometime during the course of this year, but in order for that to happen, Health New Zealand needs to bring more to the table.”
It is an option that union members have during bargaining,” she said. “So potentially that could happen, [but] that is not our plan at the moment.”
One of the two junior doctors’ unions – Specialty Trainees of New Zealand (STONZ) – had just entered bargaining already, and the other – Resident Doctors Association (NZRDA) – had begun pre-bargaining talks, with formal bargaining set to begin in June.
STONZ executive director Kate Clapperton-Rees told RNZ: “Our focus in these negotiations is on claims that recognise and value our Resident Medical Officers, and on securing improvements that will help attract and retain more doctors in Aotearoa New Zealand.”
NZRDA senior advocate Melissa Dobbyn said they were currently working through more than 200 pages of responses from members about issues and concerns.
“We will be looking at improving supports for RMOs during key transition points on the pathway from medical school to completing training as an SMO, including examinations, moving hospitals, and promotion from house office to registrar.”
A spokesperson for health minister Simeon Brown said in a statement: “The minister greatly values the senior and junior doctor workforce and looks forward to negotiations for both concluding.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
