Lab Workers’ Strike Disappointing

MEDIA STATEMENT
TUESDAY 27 MARCH

Lab Workers’ Strike Disappointing

District Health Boards are once again preparing for action by Lab Workers claiming more than 20% in wages and conditions.

DHB Spokesman, Gordon Davies – CEO of Canterbury DHB, says DHBs are bitterly disappointed by the notice when they’d moved so far to try and get a settlement.

“The union’s response once again is industrial muscle and threats to patient treatment as a way of pressuring DHBs into an unrealistic settlement.

“We’ve offered Lab workers 8.5% over three years with a pay scale starting at $45,000 with automatic increments to $56,000. The union’s claim for pay and conditions is more than 20%.

“The union had asked us to look at swapping some penal rates for more base pay – we could have added another 2% to our offer but the union withdrew it as an option. We’ve moved significantly during negotiations to try and find common ground for a settlement, the union’s claim is virtually unchanged.”

Mr Davies says DHBs will continue to do what they can to get a settlement and prevent the strike, although contingency planning is now underway.

“Patients safety during the action is our priority especially given the union’s reluctance to move in any significant way to find a compromise.

“A 20% claim is unreasonable any way you look at it and no amount of industrial action will change that. Laboratory workers lost 2% of their pay during the last strike and any further action will further erode the eventual settlement.

“We have made a very good offer and that remains on the table – let’s get back to talks and stop using patients as pawns.”

ENDS

See... Table: Respective Positions (PDF)

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