Hospital midwives have agreed to a pay equity settlement presented by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. MERAS, the main union for these midwives, confirmed that a majority voted in favour of the offer.
Caroline Conroy, a spokesperson for the union, mentioned that hospital midwives had been negotiating this for five years. The new agreement means that midwives will now earn a salary starting at just over $76,000, while experienced core midwives can earn close to $101,000. Senior midwives can expect to earn between roughly $107,000 and $153,000. Additionally, the settlement provides a one-time payment of $15,000.
Te Whatu Ora’s Chief Executive, Margie Apa, remarked on the considerable progress made in addressing pay differences in the health sector over the past year. It’s important to note that a separate pay claim is being considered for midwives in other maternity units, who currently earn less than those in hospitals.
