Shane Reti: Health Minister responds to thousands of nurses, midwives and healthcare workers going on strike

The Health Minister says he's dissatisfied by bargaining between workers and Health New Zealand. 

About 36,000 nurses, midwives and health care assistants have walked off the job until 7pm today. 

The Nurses Organisation says Health NZ has indicated its bargaining parameters are restricted to one percent of total employee costs. 

Health Minister Shane Reti says the workers are still strongly valued.

"I'm a little disappointed that we're out in strike action so early in the bargaining and negotiating stage - but I would commend both parties to please get back to that bargaining table."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Team and Health New Zealand's books are looking slightly better
than previously feared, but still really really really bad. It's
chief executive Marji Uppas said today that the projected deficit
for twenty four to twenty five has reduced from one
point seven billion dollars to one point one billion dollars.
It comes as labor accuses the government of manufacturing a
crisis in the health sector to justify cuts to the system.

(00:22):
Health Minister Shane Etty is with us this evening, good evening.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
The nuqueject good.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
So heck, yeah, you two.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
How has Health New Zealand managed to reduce that projected
deficit by six hundred million dollars?

Speaker 2 (00:32):
So look, it's a collective piece of work from every
single person at Health New Zealand and for that I
give them thanks everyone involved. But fundamentally, there's been several things.
First of all, they've implemented management controls, which is what
the Order to General for several years had been saying
needed to be done. They've looked at optimizing the workforce.
Devolving the budget and decision making down into the regions

(00:52):
has improved productivity as well. It's been a mix of
these things that has given us a slightly improved position
which will take going forward.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
Health has delayed getting back to budget by another year though,
So how do you feel about that?

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, well that's a challenge. What we could have done
is put up a deficit or put up a balanced
budget that just wasn't going to be reached and put
even more stress on the system, or taken into account
that we pushed out that a little bit further and
get there in a more more thoughtful and safe way.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
So Ai Scheverral said today during scrutiny week that you
have manufactured a crisis, saying that Health didn't even need
a commissioner. What's your response to that?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Oh, she's dreaming she created the crisis. Everyone agrees, oag
The independent monitors have agreed that there's been a financial crisis.
So I'm sorry, I don't wear that. I will own
what we do and I do in my hands, but
I'm afraid she needs to own that.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
At the moment, some nurses are on strike until seven
pm this evening, given a one point one billion dollar deficit.
What is your message to them right now?

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Oh? My message to them is thank you. I truly
value your work. A little disappointed that we're out in
strike action so early in the bargaining and negotiating stage,
but I would commend both parties to please get back
to that bargaining table.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Thanks for your time, we appreciate it. Health Minister Shane
RITTI with us this evening.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
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