Government urged to take action on radiographers' strike

The National Party has criticised the Government for its silence ahead of the radiographers' strike tomorrow.

Some 260 radiographers at four North Island health boards and three in the South Island plan to walk out for three days at 7am in support of their bid for pay parity with colleagues at other public hospitals.

Virtually all elective surgery has been postponed and outpatient clinics have been cut back to keep patient numbers low. People who might otherwise go to a hospital emergency department have been asked to see their GP unless their case is a genuine emergency.

Row means painkillers and a wait for some

National's health spokesman Tony Ryall said thousands of patients faced major disruptions.

He said the Government had not even expressed its view on the issue, nor explained what work it was doing with the DHBs to resolve the dispute.

Mr Ryall called on Health Minister Pete Hodgson to take action.

This week's three-day strike will be followed by two 24-hour walk-outs next week at six of the seven boards.

"The strike ... will reduce affected hospitals to virtually emergency services only - most of them for a fortnight," health boards have said.

Deborah Powell, national secretary of the radiographers' union, the Association of Professionals and Executive Employees, said talks with the health boards last week failed to make progress.

Striking was a last resort, she said, rejecting the boards' claim that it was calculated to cause maximum disruption to patients.

"This is a simple pay parity issue ... 25 per cent of [radiographers] nationwide are striking to achieve the same pay rates as the other 75 per cent ... nationwide doing the same job."

Boards paying less were losing radiographers to others or overseas.

Boards' spokesman Dwayne Crombie - his own board, Waitemata, is not involved - said the affected hospitals would be in emergency mode for a fortnight. "The action has been organised to put [on] extra pressure ... by punishing patients."

The strike

Around 260 radiographers - staff who take the x-rays or body scans needed by more than two-thirds of patients.

Seven district health boards affected: Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairawhiti, Hutt Valley, Canterbury, Otago, Southland.

First strike starts 7am tomorrow and ends 7am Friday.

Two more next week, each for 24 hours, starting on Tuesday and Thursday. Tairawhiti not affected by these.

Radiographers at other health boards not involved, because staff on different employment agreements expiring at different times.


Health boards say

* Both sides agree on an automatic pay scale from $42,000 to $57,000, with extra steps to $82,000 for additional training and qualifications. Most currently earn about 20 per cent extra in overtime and penal rates.

* This would be too costly in a one-year deal and they want 2 years.


Union says

* It offered a two-year term.

* Current automatic salary scale for most in the dispute is $33,371 to $43,791, with a discretionary maximum of $54,907.

* It wants $37,188 to $49,875, with discretionary maximum of $71,000.


- NZHERALD STAFF / NEWSTALK ZB