KEY POINTS:
No end is in sight in the long-standing battle between laboratory workers and their employers over pay and conditions, with industrial action planned to continue into next month.
About 1200 laboratory workers and their employers, which include 15 of the country's district health boards (DHBs), the New Zealand Blood Service, Southern Community Laboratories and Medlab South, have been locked in a dispute since last year.
Rolling strikes at different hospitals and laboratories began in November and this week the conflict escalated as the Counties Manukau and West Coast DHBs issued suspension notices to striking staff.
At West Coast DHB, seven of 12 workers issued targeted strike notices for this week, but rescinded them two days into the strike after all seven were suspended without pay until the end of the industrial action.
The targeted strike action involved the withdrawal of specific services usually performed by laboratory staff.
The scrapping of the strike left the workers free to return to work immediately.
Medical Laboratory Workers Union national secretary-treasurer Bryan Raill said the workers decided if they were to be at home without pay they would do it on their terms.
"They're not going to be sitting out at the behest of the DHBs," he said.
"So they have returned to work and have issued notice of a full strike on the Tuesday after Queen's Birthday."
At Counties Manukau, 116 of the 120 staff plan targeted strike action this week.
Eleven of the striking staff received suspension notices, most for only up to three hours. But two staff members were suspended for the week.
The strike ends on Monday at 8am.
Staff at Auckland DHB will go on strike on Monday, and at Canterbury DHB, targeted action will begin on Monday and continue until June 12.
Mr Raill said staff there would withdraw services for external work usually performed at the DHB's laboratories.
Both the Canterbury and Auckland DHBs derived a "large amount" of revenue from the work they did for external parties, Mr Raill said.
"The action means the hospitals will run along fine, but the DHB will get a strong financial signal," he said.
Meanwhile, industrial action from the country's medical radiation technologists continues into its sixth week.
High occupancy at Rotorua and Taupo Hospitals continued to challenge staff, Lakes DHB said yesterday.
It urged people with minor health issues to visit their GP in the first instance, to help free up the emergency departments for accident victims or the acutely unwell.
The industrial action is due to extend until June 5.
- NZPA
