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Midwifery Workforce Accord Signed With Government

Monday 15 April 2019, 7:11PM

By RedPR

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L to R Keriana Brooking (Dep Dir-Gen on behalf of MoH), Helen Mason (CE BoP signing on behalf of DHBs),  Hon Julie Anne Genter (Assoc Min of Health),  Hon David Clark (Min of Health),  Caroline Conroy (MERAS Co-leader: Midwifery) and Hilary Graham-Smith (Associate Professional Services Manager NZNO)
L to R Keriana Brooking (Dep Dir-Gen on behalf of MoH), Helen Mason (CE BoP signing on behalf of DHBs), Hon Julie Anne Genter (Assoc Min of Health), Hon David Clark (Min of Health), Caroline Conroy (MERAS Co-leader: Midwifery) and Hilary Graham-Smith (Associate Professional Services Manager NZNO) Credit: Supplied

Following midwives voting on Friday overwhelmingly YES to a pay settlement, the Midwifery Workforce Accord was signed today in Wellington.

Jill Ovens (Industrial Co-Leader) and Caroline Conroy (Co-Leader Midwifery), met with Minister David Clark and Minister Julie Anne Genter, where the Accord was signed at Parliament.

The full story on the Friday vote can be read here

 

 

Additional:

 

1007 DHB-employed MERAS member midwives, voted in the DHBs MECA ballot that closed on Friday 12 April.

 

965 voted YES and 42 voted NO, a 96% YES vote from those who voted.

 

This includes 67 special votes cast by email.

 

There was a very high turnout with 83% of members voting, by far the majority voting in their workplaces.

 

 

Note: The MERAS negotiations should not to be confused with the New Zealand College of Midwives Co-design discussions / negotiations with the Ministry of Health.

MERAS members are employed midwives and as such MERAS (the midwives’ union) is working on their behalf regarding their collective employment negotiations. The College of Midwives is the professional membership organisation for midwives.

The Co-design relates to the way the self-employed midwives (not those employed in DHBs), are remunerated.  For more information please contact Ali Jones.