NZ Blood Service Suspends Striking Lab Workers

New Zealand Blood Service Suspends Striking Laboratory Workers

New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) has regretfully commenced the suspension of laboratory workers at some of its laboratories in Auckland and Palmerston North.

The suspensions follow a significant increase in the level of industrial action being taken by the Medical Laboratory Workers Union (MLWU)

Lab workers have been taking industrial action at many of the NZBS blood bank, processing and testing laboratories around the country for the last 12 weeks. The action has so far taken the form of partial withdrawals of labour by lab workers, affecting normal role and responsibilities. However, this action has been escalated by the union in recent weeks with the withdrawal of a greater proportion of some workers’ duties.

Chief Executive Fiona Ritsma says: “the suspensions are now necessary to provide operational certainty and the delivery of a safe and reliable service to hospital patients and the people of New Zealand.

“The partial withdrawal of labour by striking lab workers has caused many issues for the Service and has placed a huge strain on non-union staff who we are relying on to cover their work. It is for these and patient safety reasons that the decision has been taken to suspend.

“We must be responsible for how we spend public funds, and it is unreasonable to continue paying a full wage to employees who are not carrying out the work they are being paid to do”

Mrs Ritsma also says she is “very disappointed that the employer offer has been rejected by the union when equivalent offers have been accepted widely across the health sector”.

Donor services are unaffected by this action and blood donors are asked to attend to donate as usual.

ENDS

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