DHB MECA negotiations in full swing.

Negotiations for the second NZNO/District Health Board (DHB) Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (MECA) are in full swing, with negotiations in late February and another four days scheduled for March.

Speaking after the late February negotiations, NZNO industrial adviser Glenda Alexander said the bargaining process agreement had been signed off. NZNO had also presented in more depth than previously, the issues NZNO members want discussed. Six key principles are underpinning the negotiations: maintaining and sustaining pay parity; a two-year term; fairness and equity; superannuation to be part of the total remuneration package; coverage to include all nurses with direct clinical input; and to update the MECA document to streamline entitlements and interpretations.

The DHB team, minus lead advocate Niger Murray, presented "headlines" of its issues and Alexander said there were many issues in common, particularly more consistency around the application and wording of the agreement. Other issues the DHB team is interested in are recruitment and retention initiatives, strategies that recognise and value leadership roles and strategies to support appropriate professional development and nursing research.

Alexander said the DHB team seemed to under stand the rationale for NZNO's issues and both teams were committed to the issues-based approach. The first set of March negotiations would took at finding possible solutions to some of the "easier" issues.

Fair Play Campaign launched

Meanwhile, NZNO's Fair Play Campaign in support of the MECA was launched on International Women's Day, March 8. The new logo (above) encapsulates a summer, sporty theme, and new tee-shirts, badges and bumper stickers all featuring the logo have been produced. The summer sporty theme was continued at the Fair Play launch, with members encouraged to "slip, stop, slap" the new badges and stickers on themselves and their cars as a way of reminding everybody that the negotiations were underway and members' support was needed.

Meanwhile, a two-day meeting of the national committee of workplace delegates is scheduled for March 28-29. Alexander said the focus would be on effective meeting skills, improving communication at worksite level and leadership techniques needed for the negotiations and associated processes.