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The outcome of the pay equity process will become part of the collective agreement negotiations with Te Whatu Ora. (File photo)
Midwives have voted to accept the proposed pay equity settlement from Te Whatu Ora.
The salary for a graduate midwife would increase to $76,235, while the top rate for a core midwife would be $100,862, and for senior midwives the rates would range from $106,810 to $153,060.
The settlement, agreed on Friday, includes an additional lump sum of $15,000 prorated for those employed from January 1, 2020, to April 3, 2023, and increases on the hourly rate that will be backdated to April 4, 2022.
An interim payment was ratified at the end of June and those payments had been made to midwives.
The outcome of the pay equity process will become part of the collective agreement negotiations with Te Whatu Ora.
“Midwives are at the heart of care for those having babies and their whānau, and I’m delighted with this outcome. It recognises the vital work our valued midwives do every day,” Te Whatu Ora chief executive Margie Apa said.
“Addressing pay inequity for our workforce has been a key priority for Te Whatu Ora, and significant progress has been made in the past year to address historical pay inequities across our health professions.
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Margie Apa, Te Whatu Ora’s chief executive, says the settlement recognises the vital work midwives do. (File photo)
“It’s important we don’t have sex-based inequity between our health workforces and other workforces in Aotearoa.”
The ballot, which closed at midday, also included Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service members.
New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) chief executive Paul Goulter said the next step was pay parity as the need across all nursing and midwifery sectors was well established.
“We will not rest until it is achieved. We know that midwives who are not covered by the Te Whatu Ora pay equity settlement will be watching this outcome with keen interest.
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Midwives will be backpaid to April 2022 to reflect their new and improved pay rates. (File photo)
“Pay parity is a matter of wage justice and essential to NZNO’s Maranga Mai! campaign, which calls for every nurse everywhere to be paid the same based on their experience and qualifications.”
Goulter said this was a “major milestone” in the history of midwifery in New Zealand and was a “long overdue” step towards addressing the significant gender-based inequality midwives faced in their work every day.
“It is also just the beginning, and we look forward to working with Te Whatu Ora to continue addressing all the gender-based discrimination nurses, health care assistants, midwives and kaimahi hauora face.”
