ProCare has developed a specialised “Employer Representation Service” called PCBC (Primary Care Bargaining Collaborative) which allows practices from across Aotearoa New Zealand to appoint us to represent their interests and voices at forums such as:
- the PSAAP Contract Negotiations
- the Primary Healthcare MECA Bargaining, and
- the Nursing Pay Equity Claim.
This service seeks to work for the collective benefit of general practice and the patients we all serve.
PCBC knows and understands the primary care landscape, the nuances of operating in this complex environment, and is committed to getting contracts successfully negotiated.
Practices can decide to opt into one, or all of our representation services.
For MECA and Pay Equity Representation, the cost for practices is 10c per ESU per annum for each service. The total number of ESUs will be confirmed by each practice's PHO at the date of formal registration and acceptance of our terms and conditions.
Why choose PCBC to represent your practice?
We have a wealth of specialised experience developed over 30 years of organisational experience, and a deep understanding of what it takes to successfully deliver primary health care services.
This stems from our pragmatic, first-hand knowledge in owning and running general practices, as well as our extensive vocal advocacy efforts on behalf of general practices for three decades.
Additionally, the long-held, influential relationships we have with the top-tier of Health leadership across Aotearoa, give us a clear voice with the relevant stakeholders and decision-makers around funding decisions.
Our team consists of some of the most experienced Primary Care leaders in NZ along with subject matter experts in bargaining and negotiating, and knowing how to traverse what can often be complex and time-consuming processes.
We supplement this knowledge by having a diverse cross-section of different practices working directly with our team at each step. This ensures we get direct, neutral and highly valuable insights from rural, urban, large and small and VLCA practices across the country, to help form our views and decisions.
Nursing Pay Equity Claims
NZNO can commence a pay equity claim with any employer of an NZNO member. Practices that are not party to the MECA but employ someone who is an NZNO member are likely to be included in the pay equity claim.
This means there will be a different, and potentially much larger group of employers involved in the pay equity claim. An employer who has a pay equity claim is obliged under the Equal Pay Act to work through the pay equity process. There are many steps to this, including the employers agreeing on a MultiEmployer Process Agreement with each other (this is an agreement between all the employers on how they will work together on the pay equity claim) and then a bargaining process agreement with NZNO, which is a terms of reference type of document about how the pay equity process will work. The pay equity process itself is a lengthy and time-consuming process.
The work of the people covered by the claim is assessed (as is the work of comparators) using a gender-neutral assessment tool to establish whether the work of the claimant employees has been undervalued because of being female dominated work. This usually involves a very detailed interview and assessment process. If undervaluation is established, then the union and employers’ bargain over how the undervaluation is to be addressed.
Once that process is completed, if undervaluation has been established there will be new pay rates which will go into the PHC MECA for those employers who are party to it but will also cover employers not party to the MECA and employees who are not NZNO members.
As with collective bargaining, employers must engage in the pay equity process, and can be represented in doing so. However, there are some definite differences in the process. Collective bargaining is about negotiation and seeking to convince one other of their position, while pay equity involves the application of a prescribed process which will provide an outcome (a conclusion as to whether the work is undervalued or not), whether the parties are expecting or prepared for that outcome or not.
The two processes can and do happen alongside, but separate from, each other. Thus, employers may be engaging in collective bargaining while a pay equity claim is being worked through. The processes only meet at the end, where the outcome of the pay equity process is incorporated in the MECA, and in the other employment agreements which cover the employees who were covered by the pay equity claim.
To sign up to our pay equity bargaining representation service please click here.
To read our terms and conditions, please click here.
The costs for practices is 10c per ESU per annum. The total number of ESUs will be confirmed by each practice's PHO at the date of formal registration and acceptance of our terms and conditions.
PSAAP
PSAAP, (the PHO Services Agreement Amendment Protocol), is the document that outlines the key arrangements in relation to the contracts that PHOs hold for provision of services to their local populations, and the ‘back-to-back’ agreements that PHOs in turn hold with their general practices and other providers known as the PHO Services Agreement (PHOSA).
The PSAAP forum is the place where proposed capitation uplifts are consulted on. It also has a function of information sharing and discussion of issues that may have a consequential impact on parties to the agreement.
Most decisions at PSAAP are made by consensus. On rare occasions when issues are referred for negotiation, four Contracted Provider negotiators will be appointed by the nominated Contracted Provider agents (practices), to represent the interests of all Contracted Providers.
PSAAP representation is free for all ProCare Co-operative practices. For all non-ProCare Co-operative practices, if you subscribe to either of our other representation services, PSAAP representation can be provided free.
To sign up to our PSAAP representation service click here.
To view the PSAAP ‘why and how’ document from the Secretariat please click here.
To view the Agent Organisation Summary dossier please click here.
MECA Bargaining
The current Primary HealthCare Multi Employer Collective Agreement, which covers hundreds of primary healthcare employers, expires on 30 June 2024. As a result, NZNO has initiated bargaining for a new collective agreement.
Bargaining will be initiated with the employers currently covered by the agreement, but NZNO may choose to initiate bargaining with employers who are not currently covered also.
If your practice receives a notice initiating bargaining from NZNO, you have statutory obligations under the Employment Relations Act. You must meet to bargain – either by attending all the meetings in person and participating in the bargaining discussions (which can take many days of meetings over many months, sometimes years) or by appointing a representative, such PCBC, to represent you.
Bargaining requires the union, the employers (and their representatives) to bargain in good faith, to consider and respond to each other’s proposals, to continue to discuss other matters even if a deadlock is reached on one or more of the issues, and to conclude a new collective agreement, unless there are genuine reasons not to.
Whether you are represented by PCBC, or represent yourself, once a settlement is reached, you will need to decide whether you are prepared to be a party to the proposed new collective agreement.
If you cannot agree to it, you have the right not to ratify it. If this happens, NZNO has the right to discuss the proposed agreement with you directly to see if they can address your concerns or change your mind. However, the final decision will be yours.
To sign up to our MECA bargaining representation service please click here.
To read our terms and conditions, please click here.
The costs for practices is 10c per ESU per annum. The total number of ESUs will be confirmed by each practice's PHO at the date of formal registration and acceptance of our terms and conditions.
