As a nurse, I have learnt over the years never to assume that the information given to me is correct. To keep my patient safe, I always need to verify that the information I have received, or information in front of me, is correct. We all know the old saying about assumptions – assumptions make an ass out of you and me. It emphasises the need to fact check before jumping to conclusions or accepting the narrative that is put in front of you. One example of this safety process is the five rights of medication administration. This keeps everyone safe.
Likewise, a recent high court case (Gibson vs Maritime New Zealand) demonstrates the veracity of the need for governance boards to ‘obtain credible information’ and ‘follow up and challenge the information they are given where necessary. While this court case has a focus on health and safety in the workplace, unions have a responsibility to question. Credible information does not just appear. It is often built, tested, and clarified through good questioning and discussion. When we do have credible information, whether in clinical practice, at the board table, or in politics, we have a responsibility to act on it.
Whatever we walk past, we accept. When we overlook issues, they become the new norm. Silent acceptance creates a ripple effect that can transform cultures within our workplaces, our homes and communities. Alternatively, we can actively work towards reimagining our work worlds through advocacy and action.
Unions and union members are well placed to create a society that lifts people up rather than tearing them down. The NZ Council of Trade Unions (CTU) is doing just that. Toputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is a member of the CTU and endorses the recently released challenge to all political parties ahead of the upcoming election that it is not enough to win, winning needs a winning agenda. This came hot on the heels of over 100,000 union members striking on the same day in October 2025. The strike was in response to a lengthy employment relations agenda being implemented by the Coalition Government that has only brought bad news and even worse outcomes for working people, for women, for Māori and Pacific peoples, for everybody who isn’t wealthy and sorted. In recent days, the underlying ideology of the Coalition Government continues by ignoring workers who were doing it hard well before the fuel crisis, such as our community health workers whose huge mahi is not paid or resourced equitably.
As I write, Paul Goulter (NZNO CEO) has issued a ratification notice for the 11 May 2026 to 15 May 2026 following the first formal offer received from Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand since June last year, and after over 18 months of bargaining. In a context where the current Coalition Government has saved over $500 million last year, and demands another $500 million savings this year, within Te Whatu Ora, the reluctance to recruit nurses, midwives and health care assistants to provide safe patient care, reflected by the escalating CCDM shifts under target, is telling. And we are not the only ones.
The culture of walking past and accepting ever decreasing standards is clear when doctors, nurses and many others are unable to login to access patient information. IT platforms essential to doing their work fails due to centralisation, for entire shifts, being forced to use colleagues’ logins to do their work. Contacting IT for help is a nightmare and getting help when you need it has faded away into a past time. On the ground IT staff have been slashed to save budget, just as the lack of timely or any recruitment of nurses is getting worse by the day. All of which are putting patients and those who work in healthcare at increasing risk of avoidable harm.
So, what can we expect from a government that has ripped away our right to maintain equity with our equity pay comparators? Can we expect a competitive pay rate with Queensland to quell the outgoing tide of our new graduates and experienced nurses to Australia? Currently Queensland year 7 RNs receive a base rate of $112, 000 a year. This is set to increase to $118,000 a year by 2027. This is alongside a Cost of Living annual payment, and a Superannuation rate paid by the employer of 12.75%, Sunday rate at double time, public holiday rate at 250%, post graduate qualifications recognised through an additional payment, paid professional development (up to $3600 annually) and travel time that are mandatory, relativity in senior nurse pay, equity in senior management positions a requirement, and the right to disconnect and much more are built into the Queensland contract, the most important being joint union and employer agreement on safe nurse to patient ratios based on a similar tool to CCDM.
Or do we question why we would accept a lower standard of being undervalued and underpaid that becomes the norm?