MECA stands for Multi Employer Collective Agreement. It is the employment contract under which you will be employed when you commence work. Don’t get confused by the wording of letters from the DHB. Most will refer to the MECA and inform you to contact NZRDA if you wish to remain covered. If you are a member of NZRDA, you will continue to be covered by that agreement and anything further which is negotiated by NZRDA in the future – things such as pay rises!!
Finally, the legal stuff. We are obliged to tell you that at law, if you do not join NZRDA within 30 days of commencing your employment you will cease to be covered by our MECA and will be employed instead on an Individual Employment Agreement (an IEA), the renegotiation of which is for you to arrange with your employer.
We hope that the above is of assistance for starters. It is certainly only the basics having brushed over the key questions TIs have asked us to cover. If you would be interested in learning more and even being a rep yourself, there is a 4 day training session held each year in March. Just contact our office for further information.
Finally, if you can’t find anyone to ask whether the question is small or the event appears catastrophic contact NZRDA. No matter how large or small the problem, we are here to help. We can be telephoned direct or on our 24 hour freephone (for those moments), emailed or faxed. And by the way if it is “one of those moments” and it is 1300 hours on a Saturday – do call, its what we are here for.
