Radiographers make DHBs a counter offer

Photo / Northern Advocate

Striking hospital radiographers have made a counter-offer to their employers in an attempt to prevent a nationwide strike.

About 1000 medical radiation technologists (MRTs) across the country have been involved in rolling industrial action over a lack of progress in pay talks with district health boards.

The X-ray, image, and scan specialists decided to strike after four radiographers employed by Counties Manukau DHB were suspended on Monday. Another three were later suspended from Auckland DHB on Tuesday.

About 65 radiographers walked away from Auckland's Middlemore Hospital yesterday on strike, while Auckland City Hospital radiographers plan to strike for three days next week before a national day-long stoppages in September.

Their union, Apex, said today it would like to settle the collective agreement before the nationwide strike.

MRTs and DHBs had agreed on a pay offer of 1 per cent now and a further 1 per cent in October, but there were other issues still on the table, it said.

MRTs wanted the pay offer to be backdated to the time their agreement ended in October and were seeking pay parity for sonographers.

Apex spokeswoman Robyn Slater said if the issues were resolved the day-long strike would be withdrawn.

"The majority of sonographers in New Zealand are paid the rate we are claiming for the minority covered by this collective agreement, and therefore it is only fair that they are paid under the same terms and conditions."

Others issues included time in lieu for members undertaking professional development on their own time and extending the working week from 35 to 40 hours for Auckland staff.

Ms Slater said MRTs were hopeful an agreement could be reached if DHBs were willing to sit down and negotiate.

"Regrettably, if these cannot be resolved then the strikes scheduled for September 3 in Auckland and September 7 nationwide will proceed as scheduled," she said.

Phil Cammish, Bay of Plenty DHB chief executive and spokesman for the 20 DHBs, said the issues within Apex's counter-offer have been discussed since negotiations started in August.

"Apex refuses to acknowledge the issues of affordability DHBs face," he said. "We have made it clear that DHBs are willing to work with the union on the issues that are important to them ... but that these must be managed within what DHBs can afford."

Backdating pay increases to October and extending the working week in Auckland would be a "considerable expense to add back into the total costs".

Mr Cammish said DHBs were operating in extremely tight financial circumstances and that was going to be the case for some time.

"It's about the union accepting the realities of the current fiscal environment."

- NZPA