Hospital strikes loom

Two planned strikes are about to put Waikato District Health Board hospitals under pressure as radiographers and attendants prepare to walk off the job over pay rates.

Radiographers belonging to the Association of Professional and Executive Employees (Apex) plan to strike from 8am on Monday to midnight on Thursday, April 1, at the Waikato, Thames, Tokoroa and Taumarunui hospitals.

The district health board has also received notice from Unite Incorporated that its hospital attendants will also be on strike from midnight on Wednesday to midnight Friday, March 26.

The radiographers' strike action will include a partial withdrawal of labour.

Only fixed examination times will be worked and there will be a total withdrawal of services for CT and angiography services.

Health Waikato chief operating officer Jan Adams urged the public to avoid seeking these services unless their need to do so was "absolutely critical".

"We do expect disruption to services and, therefore, the hospitals will be operating in acute mode, dealing with emergencies only," she said.

Staff were working to ensure patient care would not be affected.

A fulltime radiographer gets a salary of $46,306 to $63,148.

Current union claims would increase district health boards' wage and salary bills for the radiographers by 15 per cent over one year, according to District Health Board New Zealand spokesperson Phil Cammish.

He said the radiographers were "a valued group of health workers and the district health boards are keen to get agreement on a collective agreement we can all live with".

Health minister Tony Ryall said it was up to the district health boards to manage through the strike.

"It's not appropriate for me to comment during these times of employment negotiations, however, I can assure the public that hospitals do have life-preserving actions in place during this time," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News