Hospitals head to court to halt radiographers' strike

By MARTIN JOHNSTON

Central Auckland hospitals are going to the Employment Court on Friday to try to prevent an x-ray technicians' strike that is delaying surgery and could send hundreds of patients elsewhere for treatment.

Mediation between the Auckland District Health Board and the union representing the 97 radiographers broke down yesterday amid mutual recriminations.

This comes on top of industrial action by 36 heart and lung technicians.

These technicians, represented by the same union as the radiographers, start a three-day strike today after two days of working to rule, with a two-week overtime ban to follow.

The radiographers, represented by the Association of Professional and Executive Employees, intend to strike for four days starting next Tuesday.

The board's chief operating officer, Marek Stepniak, accused the union of walking out from yesterday's mediation.

Union representative Deborah Powell said the session ended quickly because the board refused to improve its 2 per cent pay-rise offer.

"They only wanted to talk about contingency cover."

Mr Stepniak repeated his assertion that the union had taken the unprecedented action of refusing to provide cover for emergency patients during the strike, a move he said could put lives at risk.

"This is the equivalent of a disaster environment for Auckland."

The union said it would consider providing cover once it had seen the board's contingency plan, but Mr Stepniak said he would not hand it over.

All non-urgent surgery had been cancelled because of the strike, he said. "We are attempting to continue emergency and acute services at Green Lane Hospital, National Women's Hospital and Starship hospital."

Auckland Hospital would offer limited emergency and acute services. Patients requiring x-rays would probably be referred to Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland.

The board is appealing for qualified radiographers with a current practising certificate to contact Auckland Hospital if they are prepared to work during the strike.

Mediation between Apex and the Waitemata District Health Board over a pay deal for its radiographers is ongoing before a threatened seven-day strike from Tuesday.

The heart and lung technicians' action has led to the cancellation of elective surgery, other procedures and assessments for about 250 patients, mainly at Green Lane.