Action comes after a year of bargaining with doctors without settlement
Health New Zealand is taking its stalled pay negotiations with the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) to the Employment Relations Authority, following the union's announcement of strike action later this month.
Richard Sullivan, Acting Chief Executive of Health NZ, said they are applying to the ERA to fix the terms and conditions of a collective agreement.
It comes after more than a year of bargaining with the ASMS, which includes 11 days of formal bargaining, a number of informal meetings, mediation, six days of facilitated bargaining, and an invitation to binding arbitration, according to Sullivan.
"Despite this effort, we have been unable to reach a settlement and we believe all bargaining options have been exhausted," the acting chief executive said in a statement.
"We believe the application for fixing is the best way forward to ensure certainty for New Zealanders."
Health NZ's offer includes a massive investment that would have cost taxpayers more than $160 million over a 16-month term for around 5,500 senior doctors.
This covers an increase to base pay and the application of a $40 million fund for senior doctors.
It adds to the $5,900 annual step increase senior doctors receive until they reach the top of the 15-step pay scale, according to Health NZ.
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