Radiographers' strike cynical, say boards

District health boards say threatened strikes by radiographers are deliberately and cynically timed actions to have the maximum impact on patients.

Radiographers or medical radiation technologists (MRTs) at seven boards - Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Hutt Valley, Tairawhiti (Gisborne), Lakes (Rotorua), and Bay of Plenty - plan to stop work for three days from Tuesday.

Dr Dwayne Crombie, chief executive of Waitemata District Health Board and spokesman for the boards, said yesterday their union, Apex, had also lodged notice of a second strike notice and a third was threatened.

Apex spokeswoman Deborah Sweeney said the action aimed to get about 260 strikers pay-parity with the rest of their colleagues.

- NZPA