The Public Service Association says the poorer pay had forced people to leave and made it harder to recruit new staff. (file image) Photo: unsplash.com
Unionised Blood Service workers have reached a pay parity deal which will increase their incomes by up to 40 percent.
Lab workers, scientists, technicians, and administrators had voted to accept a pay offer which was made following industrial action in May and June.
In June, 300 employees walked off the job, calling for equitable pay with their Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora counterparts.
At the time, the Blood Service said it had no additional funding for the increases, because the rates were more substantial than anticipated, but it has now funded it.
The Public Service Association (PSA) said the poorer pay had forced people to leave and made it harder to recruit new staff.
"This settlement will help many health workers better cope with the cost of living pressures on their household budget," PSA health sector lead Ashok Shankar said.
"People working at New Zealand Blood Service knew it wasn't right they were getting paid significantly less than their colleagues at Te Whatu Ora.
"This settlement will make a big difference for themselves and their families, and to strong blood services people can rely on."
Workers were set to receive between 17 and 40 percent pay increases, after more than seven months of negotiations.
"We're very happy to have made this breakthrough at long last," Shankar said.
The Blood Service delivered all major blood services in Aotearoa, which included donation drives, matching donations with patients, processing and transporting blood and blood products, and managing hospital blood banks for public and private health services.