Health boards have announced a settlement to the long running and bitter employment dispute with junior doctors, but the doctors' union say they are only considering an offer.
District health boards spokesman David Meates said the 21 boards were delighted to have agreed terms of settlement for a new multi employer collective agreement with the NZRDA.
"This is really good news as it clears the way for us to start talking about the training and development needs of our medical workforce, and most importantly, the long term health needs of New Zealanders," he said.
The terms of settlement would now go to union members for their ratification, he said.
But NZRDA general secretary Deborah Powell said the health boards were "way overstating" the situation and it was another example of the boards' inaccurate depiction of negotiations.
Dr Powell said the boards had simply made an offer which the negotiating team had taken back to union members.
"There has been 15 months negotiation and it's the first time we have felt it was decent enough to put it out to members," Dr Powell said.
She was not willing to disclose the details, and said the next step would be determined by doctors' reaction to the offer.
The NZRDA represents more than 2000 junior doctors employed by district health boards. They walked off the job in May over their claim for an almost 10 percent pay increase for each of the next three years.
The health boards were offering 4.25 percent for two years.
Mr Meates said he did not want to discuss details of the settlement until the junior doctors had a chance to see them first and the ratification process was complete.
