Health board to make new offer to radiographers

11.45am

Radiographers at Auckland hospitals will get a new contract offer from their employer tomorrow.

The radiographers have been on strike twice in recent weeks over a 10.3 per cent wage claim.

Auckland District Health Board chief operating officer Marek Stepniak said in a statement today the board would go back into negotiations tomorrow morning with a new offer.

"We can't reveal details of the offer at the moment but we believe it will be attractive and we hope that APEX (the union representing 90 radiographers) will also move so that we can achieve a settlement," he said.

The strike action was causing major distress to patients and staff, he said.

More strikes were planned for Thursday and Friday and December 2 and 3.

Mr Stepniak said hospitals were still following contingency plans for the planned strikes and (if they went ahead) the board would urge the public to seek medical assistance from their family doctor or accident and medical centre when they became ill, and to keep emergency departments for real emergencies.

- NZPA

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