Five thousand mental health and addiction support workers will receive pay increases next month.
Health Minister David Clark said the government is committed to pay equity and lifting wages. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
The agreement signed this morning gives them the same pay rates as care and support workers.
Nearly half the workers will receive an extra $3 an hour, equating to more than $100 extra a week for those working full-time.
Twenty percent of the workers will get an increase of more than $5 an hour.
Health Minister David Clark said the government was committed to pay equity and lifting wages, particularly for the country's lowest paid workers.
He acknowledged the courage and perseverance of Kristine Bartlett, and the E tū union, in filing and pursuing the original pay equity case in the Employment Court six years ago.
