News & Events

Concerns Omicron will overwhelm hospitals as staff get sick – Jill Ovens speaks to Radio New Zealand

8th February, 2022

On 7 February MERAS Co-Leader Jill ovens told Radio New Zealand an already stressed health system could become overwhelmed when border restrictions are lifted. “It’s worrying that a number of sports bodies, businesses and particularly…

Media Release: Health Sector Staffing Shortages Concern With Border Restrictions Loosening

4th February, 2022

An already stressed health system is at real risk of becoming overwhelmed. That from the employed midwives’ union, MERAS, after the Government yesterday announced a timeline to lift border restrictions. MERAS co-leader, Jill Ovens, says…

Hospital Midwives Settle With DHBs

17th September, 2021

Hospital midwives who are members of the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Services (MERAS), have settled their Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (MECA) with the country’s DHBs. The MECA expired on 31 January this year and MERAS…

MERAS Annual General Meeting 8 September

23rd August, 2021

The MERAS AGM will be held from 7pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday, 8 September, by Zoom. All MERAS members are invited to attend and have been provided a link to the meeting via email on 21…

Thursday’s strike withdrawn due to Level 4 lockdown

18th August, 2021

The strikes planned for Thursday 19 August will be withdrawn across the country due to the nationwide Level 4 lockdown. Rosters will operate as originally scheduled.

MERAS Co-Leader Caroline Conroy speaks to media ahead of strikes

8th August, 2021

On 5 August MERAS Co-Leader Caroline Conroy spoke to Duncan Garner on the AM show on TV Three, and to Jesse Mulligan on Afternoons at RNZ about the upcoming Midwives strike and the reasons behind…

Employed Midwives To Strike

4th August, 2021

DHB Decision Makers Not At The Table – “limits ability to negotiate” Midwives employed by DHBs will go ahead with planned rolling strikes next week after mediation on Monday failed to reach agreement. The 8-hour…

Maternity units in Wellington region short 1/4 of their workforce

18th July, 2021

Midwives at Wellington hospitals are sometimes too busy to take breaks and new mothers have been rushed out and transferred elsewhere within a day of giving birth, as the region’s maternity units grapple with a chronic…

MERAS calls for 50% pay increase as workers leave profession

16th July, 2021

Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service co-leader Jill Ovens told TVNZ’s Breakfast show host Jenny-May Clarkson on 16 July that she knows people who have left the profession to work as Covid-19 vaccinators, to work…