Taranaki DHB preparing for midwives’ strike

On Tuesday 10 August the midwives’ union MERAS – Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service, will strike for eight hours in support of their wage claims.

Taranaki DHB employs 38 midwives with many of them members of the union.

The strike action will start at 11am and run through until 7pm.

All obstetric elective cases for that day have been deferred, and anyone who will be affected by alterations to planned hospital care has been contacted.

Chief Executive Rosemary Clements says the DHB is providing Life Preserving Services to ensure clinical safety is upheld throughout the strike.

She says patient safety is the number one consideration in planning for Tuesday’s industrial action.