Canterbury DHBWednesday 27 October 2010, 9:06AM
Media release from Canterbury DHB
On 19 October, the day Canterbury experienced a 5.0 aftershock, the
New Zealand Medical Laboratory Workers Union (NZMLWU) advised the
Canterbury District Health Board that they will take industrial
action from 8:00am November 3 to 8:00am November 9.
The NZMLWU, which represents laboratory workers in 12 DHBs and the
New Zealand Blood Service, is continuing industrial action that
includes go-slows and petty actions such as refusing to answer
telephones in laboratories, as well as escalating the number of
all-out strikes.
Canterbury District Health Board, chief executive, David Meates
says, "This type of action is designed to disrupt the running of
the hospital and affect patients - without causing any loss of pay
for the employees involved.
"The industrial action is having a significant impact on patients
and health services, and this is intensifying each week. Patients
and employers are both fed up with the aggressive attitude this
union is taking. Our primary concern is for our patients' welfare,"
says David Meates.
The most recent notice from the NZMLWU has advised that they will
withdraw all labour for some tests in toxicology at Canterbury
Health Laboratories. This action is targeted to impact directly on
a group of chronically ill patients in Canterbury, in particular
those who are being treated for inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's
disease and suffering from arthritis."
DHBs have been served with more than 800 notices of industrial
action by Medical Radiation Technologists (MRTs) and Laboratory
Workers in the last three months.
"These employees have turned down a deal already accepted by over
90% of the unionised health workforce," says David Meates.