Statement from MERAS, the midwives' union, which has received an offer of a proposed final pay equity settlement from Te Whatu Ora

The following can be attributed to Caroline Conroy, MERAS Co-Leader (Midwifery):

MERAS, the midwives’ union, has received an offer of a proposed final pay equity settlement from Te Whatu Ora in relation to the Midwifery pay equity claim.

It’s been five years since the pay equity process, to address historical sex-based undervaluation, commenced for hospital employed midwives. Te Whatu Ora employed midwives will now consider and vote on the offer.

Key components of this offer include a lump sum of $15,000 pro-rated for those employed during 1st January 2020 to 3rd April 2023, and increases on the hourly rate which will be back dated to 4th April 2022.

An interim payment was ratified at the end of June and those payments have been made to midwives.

We won’t be making any other comment until the offer has been presented to Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and they have voted on the offer. Voting closes on the 6th October 2023.

Background

• MERAS represents over 90% of Te Whatu Ora employed midwives
• A midwifery pay equity claim was raised in 2017/18
• After significant work agreement was reached that the work of midwives was undervalued based on sex.
• Legal proceedings were raised by unions over back pay, comparators and total renumeration.
• A lump sum payment was made in late 2021 of $6000 and a further $1000 in January 2022.
• At the end of June as part of an interim pay equity settlement lump sums were topped up to $10,000 and there were increases on the hourly rate back dated to 4th April 2022.

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