Midwives to Receive 3.5% Pay Rise and $235 Lump Sum After Settlement

Following a nationwide 24-hour strike, midwives in New Zealand have reached a significant agreement with Health New Zealand, securing a 3.5% pay increase and a $235 lump sum.

In a major development for healthcare workers, midwives have settled their collective agreement with Health New Zealand, marking the end of a tense negotiation process that followed a nationwide strike. This agreement includes a 3.5% increase in base pay and a one-time payment of $235, which will be distributed to midwives across the country.

Health New Zealand stated that the new pay deal, which spans over 29 months, will significantly increase the base salary for graduate midwives, bringing it up to more than $85,000 per year—nearly $3,000 higher than before. Senior midwives, on the other hand, will see their salaries increase by almost $4,000, pushing their annual earnings to just under $112,000.

Health NZ emphasized that the agreement reflects the crucial role midwives play in the healthcare system and the value of their work. The organization currently employs 1,728 midwives, and the workforce has grown by 111 full-time equivalent positions over the past year, highlighting the increasing demand for midwifery services.

The decision to settle the agreement was made by the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Services, signaling a collaborative effort between employers and midwives to address longstanding concerns about pay and working conditions.

While the agreement brings much-needed relief, the recent strike highlighted the broader challenges faced by healthcare workers, including staffing shortages and financial pressures. The 24-hour strike, which saw thousands of midwives and nurses walk out, led to the postponement of approximately 4,300 patient appointments and procedures across the country.

Health NZ is now working to rebook these postponed appointments, and the resolution of the pay dispute is expected to provide some stability for both the midwives and the patients they serve. However, the broader issues within the healthcare system, such as staffing levels and resource allocation, remain a concern for many in the sector.

As midwives prepare to benefit from this new agreement, the focus now shifts to ensuring that the improvements in pay are matched by continued investment in the healthcare system to support the growing demands of the population.

With this settlement, midwives have taken a significant step toward fair compensation and better working conditions, but the journey toward a fully supported healthcare system is far from over.