Newstalk ZB
Whangārei Hospital nurses have been told stickers are a health and safety risk, in the latest move of a bitter industrial dispute between the NZ Nurses Organisation and Health New Zealand. Union delegates claimed managers were using bullying tactics but Health NZ said it was prioritising the safety of patients and staff. The NZ Nurses Organisation (NZNO) and Health NZ have been negotiating for about 18 months on a new collective agreement, with a major sticking point being safe staffing levels. Northland nurses took part in nationwide industrial action, a mega strike in October 2025 and partial strikes where they refused to be moved to other wards, as part of the industrial action. But Whangārei Hospital delegate Rachel Thorn said NZNO members now felt like they were being scared into not taking industrial action, claiming they faced threats of being reported to the Nursing Council. Since January, Whangārei Hospital ED union members had taken part in a “uniform strike” to highlight the contract dispute: wearing bright garments instead of their usual scrubs. The move was about raising visibility of the issues, including short staffing of nurses in the hospital, which could be a risk to public safety, she said. To help explain the change in uniform to patients, the nurses put up posters and wore stickers saying “striking for safe staffing”. But Thorn said Health NZ started pushing back when the uniform strike was expanded to other wards on March 1. She alleged posters were removed from the wards, nurses were told they could not wear stickers and would be reported to the Nursing Council if they did. Nurses wearing bright-coloured clothing as part of the NZ Nurses Organisation uniform strike include Kylie Johnson (from left), Sammy Reed, Jess Bennett, Emily Camuso and Nicole McGinty. “A manager stated basically, ‘if you don’t stop wearing that sticker, I will report you to the Nursing Council and you might lose registration’,” Thorn claimed. Health NZ was citing infection control because the stickers could not be wiped clean but uniforms also could not be wiped clean, Thorn said. The organisation also accused nurses of pushing political views but all nurses acted professionally and within the rules of their strike notice, she said. Thorn believed the heavy-handed tactics came about because Health NZ did not want the public to know safe staffing levels had not been met in the hospital. Nurse numbers were restricted to save money, with Northland hospitals alone tasked with saving $30 million in staffing costs this year, she said. NZ Nurses Organisation delegate Rachel Thorn (right), pictured with Bridget Firth during 2025's mega-strike, says the bullying tactics are disappointing. Photo / Denise Piper The threats were having an impact, with some nurses pulling out of the industrial action over fear of losing their job, Thorn said. Those persisting with the uniform strike found an added bonus: the bright-coloured clothes made patients feel more comfortable and children less scared of the nurses, she said. Health NZ Te Tai Tokerau group director operations Alex Pimm said NZNO issued several notices of industrial action over recent weeks. “These notices involve NZNO members refusing to comply with Health NZ policies, instructions, rules or requirements relating to public statements or actions relating to collective bargaining or strike action. “This includes requirements prohibiting visual union stickers, badges, clothing, signage, placards or flags.” Health NZ director Alex Pimm says union members are being reminded of their obligation to their regulator. Photo / Denise Piper Health NZ was required to ensure it could maintain safe services for patients, even when strike notices were given at short notice, Pimm said. Health NZ continued to prioritise patient safety during industrial act...
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