Australian union 'appalled' at health board's strike ad

5.00pm

An Australian union today said it would do everything it could to discourage its members from helping Auckland health authorities to counter a radiographers' strike.

Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) has put an advertisement in Australian newspapers seeking radiographers to work at its hospitals, when local technicians will be taking industrial action.

The advertisement, which states that accommodation and fares would be included in the deal, is headed: "Fancy a weekend in New Zealand?"

The Health Services Union of Australia attacked the move and called on Health Minister Annette King to step in and stop it.

"We're stunned and appalled that they would choose to entice Australian radiographers over to try to break a strike," national secretary Craig Thomson said.

"Radiographers in Australia have a great deal of sympathy for their New Zealand colleagues and we will do everything in our power to assist them."

Mr Thomson described New Zealand radiographers, whose salaries begin at $31,000, as "grossly underpaid" by international standards. In Australia, base salaries start at A$48,000 (about $55,000).

"There are real problems in New Zealand with those rates of pay," he said.

"One of the ironies is that they're prepared to pay $43.84 an hour, plus accommodation and flights, to break up a strike, but they are not prepared to pay anywhere near that to settle this dispute."

Mr Thomson rejected the assertion by health board chief operating officer Marek Stepniak that the advertisement was targeted at qualified New Zealanders living in Australia.

"Quite the contrary, it's aimed generally and it implies it's some sort of holiday jaunt," he said.

"Looking for New Zealand nationals doesn't seem to be the intent and, even if it was, it doesn't detract from what they are trying to do -- bring in people to replace workers who are on a legitimate campaign."

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists in New Zealand agreed.

Its executive director, Ian Powell, said the move to use Australian radiographers was counter-productive.

"It will worsen the already poor relationship between management and radiographers, thereby making it much more difficult to resolve this dispute," he said in a statement.

He said the move could increase the shortage of radiographers as more may leave because of the unpleasant environment at work and said long-term effects of the increasingly bitter strike could make it hard for the DHB to recruit staff in future.

"Using strike-breakers avoids the key issue which is that there is a serious breakdown in the working relationship between senior management and health professionals, not just radiographers."

In Auckland, the Apex Union originally sought a 10.3 per cent pay rise, but says it has reduced that to about 6 per cent.

However, Mr Stepniak said the board, which originally offered 2 per cent, had not be told of the revised claim.

He said the union had refused to accept the board's amended offer of 3 per cent until July and another 2 per cent for the following financial year.

The radiographers have already twice walked off the job in the past month and have indicated they will do so again on November 28 and 29.

- NZPA

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