Pay equity

Pay equity claims have been raised by unions on behalf of Te Whatu Ora employees working in the following areas:

• Clerical and Administration (PSA)
• Allied, Scientific and Technical (PSA and APEX)
• Nursing (NZNO and PSA)
• Midwifery (MERAS and NZNO)
• Librarians and Interpreters (PSA)

A pay equity claim covers all employees who are doing the same or similar work, regardless union affiliation or their type of employment agreement.

The union(s) that raised the pay equity claim represent all employees covered by the claim, even if they aren’t union members.

Te Whatu Ora must provide the union(s) with the names and contact details of affected employees, so they can keep people updated on the progress.

Administration and Clerical Pay Equity Settlement

In 2022, the PSA and Te Whatu Ora agreed a pay equity settlement for clerical and administration roles employed within Te Whatu Ora. The details of settlement can be found here:

Administration and Clerical Pay Equity Settlement Agreement (PDF, 3.97MB)
Last updated 7 July 2022

Find more information about Administration and Clerical Pay Equity

Nursing

Te Whatu Ora, NZNO and PSA worked jointly to complete a pay equity assessment process and in December 2021 an agreement in principle was reached for a pay equity settlement.

Te Whatu Ora has started planning to process pay rises for its nursing workforce after the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) made an interim order.

Find more information about how Te Whatu Ora prepares to implement new pay equity rates

Proposed Midwifery Pay Equity Claim Settlement

For All People Covered by the Midwifery Pay Equity Claim

Te Whatu Ora, Midwifery Employee Representation & Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) have reached agreement on a proposed settlement for the midwives’ pay equity claim.

The proposed settlement is an agreement to settle the pay equity claim for Midwifery, which includes adjusting the previous interim rates applied from 4 April 2022 and includes resolution of the disputed issues on back pay.

For the proposed pay equity claim settlement agreement to be implemented it must be formally approved by a vote of employees covered by the pay equity claim who have not opted out, including union members and non-union members. To be approved, 50% +1 of those who vote must vote in favour of the proposed settlement.

Summary of Proposed Settlement

The proposed settlement includes the following key areas:

Lump Sum in Recognition of Work from 1 January 2020 to 3 April 2022

In addition to the previous lump sum payments already received, an additional lump sum payment of $15,000 (gross, pro-rated) would be paid within four months of settlement. 

This payment would be prorated based on service over the period 1 January 2020 to 3 April 2022, and by the greater of full-time equivalent hours (FTE) as at 3 April 2022 or actual hours worked hours worked up to 1.0 FTE, excluding overtime and callback, for the period 1 January 2020 to 3 April 2022.

Employees who left their employment between 1 January 2020 and 3 April 2022 are eligible for a portion of this payment (prorated as above) but will need to complete the required process.

Pay rates

Amended rates would begin to be paid within six weeks of the proposed settlement being approved.  

The amended pay rates would be back paid to 4 April 2022 on the basis of actual hours worked including overtime and call back payments up to 1 FTE. Note this is different to the way the lump sum payment set out above would be paid.

Please note in the proposed settlement, employees on Step 1, Grade 3 of the Senior Midwifery scale will translate to Step 2, Grade 3 upon the Settlement Date and will receive backpay to 4 April 2022 in accordance with the criteria above on the basis of this new rate.

The back pay on the amended rates should be processed and paid within four months of the settlement.

If the settlement is approved, staff who were employed between 4 April 2022 and the date of implementation of new rates who have subsequently left Te Whatu Ora, can claim back pay for their eligible service during that time span.

Review Clause

There is an agreed mechanism to ensure sex-based undervaluation does not come back into midwives’ pay. This review clause will operate every bargaining round or every three years whichever is the sooner.

Full and Final Settlement

The proposed settlement is a formal Pay Equity Claim Settlement under the Equal Pay Act.

It would also be full and final settlement of all other disputes and the litigation in the Employment Relations Authority.

Information on the Proposal and Voting

The unions are required to provide information and allow employees covered by the pay equity claim to vote on whether to approve the proposed settlement.

All Te Whatu Ora employed Senior Midwives, Core Midwives, Caseload Midwives, Community Midwives and Maternity Care Assistants who have not opted out are covered by the claim and can participate in the vote.

Union members

If you are a union member, you will be contacted by your union about information meetings and the on-line voting process

• MERAS 03 372 9738
• NZNO 0800 28 38 48

Non-union members

If you are not a union member and you want to participate in the vote, please complete this form so the unions can contact you and register you to be included in the voting process.   

If you have further questions, contact your union

• MERAS 03 372 9738
• NZNO 0800 28 38 48

Allied, Scientific, and Technical

Te Whatu Ora is currently working with PSA and APEX to assess the Allied, Scientific, and Technical claim. It is expected the process will be completed in 2023.

Librarians and Interpreters

Te Whatu Ora is currently working with PSA to assess the Librarians and Interpreters claim. It is expected the process will be completed in 2023.

Opting out of a pay equity claim

If a Te Whatu Ora staff member wants to opt-out of a pay equity claim, they should contact their local payroll team for an opt-out form. People can opt-out at any time before the final voting date on the proposed pay equity claim settlement or before a union files in the Employment Relations Authority.

If a person chooses to opt-out of the pay equity process, they will not automatically receive the benefits of the pay equity claim settlement.