An admission has come from the Health Minister that nurses have been underpaid for a long time.

Thirty thousand Nurses Organisation members will walk off the job three more times this year, in July, August and September.

They want safe staffing and pay-rises of 10 to 20 percent.

Andrew Little told Mike Hosking he's not sure exactly what the pay equity claim and pay-rises will cost the Government.

“But it is hundreds of millions of dollars extra, but this is a part workforce that has been underpaid because of discrimination for so long.”

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