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Hospital midwives have voted to accept a pay equity settlement from Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand.
MERAS, the union representing more than 90 percent of Te Whatu Ora-employed midwives, says the vote that closed at 12pm Friday was overwhelmingly in favour of the offer.
Its spokesperson Caroline Conroy said it had been five years since the process began for hospital employed midwives.
Te Whatu Ora said the offer recognised the vital work of midwives.
Under the settlement, the salary for a midwife will increase to just over $76,000 and the top rate for a core midwife will be nearly $101,000.
Annual pay for senior midwives will range from nearly $107,000 to $153,000.
The settlement included a lump sum of $15,000.
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa said significant progress had been made in the past year to address historical pay inequities across health professions.
A separate pay equity claim has been made for midwives employed in other maternity units, who are already paid less than their hospital colleagues.
