KEY POINTS:
The union for striking radiation therapists admits Government intervention seems to be the only hope for resolving the bitter pay dispute between the health workers and their employers.
Radiation therapists in Canterbury yesterday began a three-day strike, while in Auckland, the union served notice for an additional one-day strike on January 23, on top of one-day strikes tomorrow and next Monday.
"Somebody has to intervene on behalf of the New Zealand public if nothing more, because what's happening at the moment is just totally unacceptable. We don't want to be on strike, and we really want this to be sorted," said Louise Simonsen, assistant secretary for the union, the Association of Professionals and Executive Employees.
Radiation therapists want a 3 per cent increase in pay this year and next, which the union said would cost the district health boards about $150,000. Further talks yesterday did not eventuate, but Mrs Simonsen said the union had offered a counterclaim of 2.5 per cent a year during negotiations on Monday.
"That was really our bottom figure because for us that's now gone below the cost of living adjustment. Unless they're prepared to start looking at ways to get to that figure, I think we have come to a bit of a deadlock, because basically they're coming to the table with a response that's always no offer.
"They're coming to the table with what we see are really insulting offers. It's really upsetting for our profession to be treated with that lack of respect."
But the health boards say their offer totals 5.5 per cent over the next 24 months. When added to the increases over the last four years, total pay for radiation therapists will have gone up more than 30 per cent since 2001.
The attitude of the employers has drawn the ire of the union representing senior doctors.
Ian Powell, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, said district health board bosses were being hypocritical over salary increases for their staff.
Mr Powell said in the two years from 2002-03 to 2004-05, the health boards have increased the average salary of their chief executives by $35,667 from $263,333 to $299,000 - an increase of more than 13 per cent.
"It is amazing how the highest paid group employed by DHBs can attempt to limit salary increases to less than the cost of living to their lower paid staff but defend large increases well above inflation for them."
The strikes in Canterbury yesterday delayed treatment to 25 patients who would have started radiotherapy. Canterbury DHB spokeswoman Michele Hider said 20 union members were striking, although the hospital would still be able to treat 75 patients with the seven non-union staff working throughout the strike, which ends at 7.30am on Friday.
National's health spokesman Tony Ryall said cancer waiting times are set to blow out even further.
"The Government cannot allow cancer patients and their families to be so cruelly mistreated in this way. The Health Minister must step in." A spokeswoman for Health Minister Pete Hodgson said he would not be intervening. He has previously made clear that it was not his role to intervene in industrial negotiations conducted by the health boards.
