Senior doctors at an earlier strike.
Photo: RNZ / Ruth Hill
Senior doctors and dentists are joining a strike set for later this month likely to involve tens of thousands of workers.
Members of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists have voted 83 percent in favour of a four-hour strike on Thursday 23 October from 11am. It will involve 4000 doctors and dentists.
More than 36,000 nurses that work for Health NZ will walk off the job that day and 40,000 teachers have already said they will strike as well.
Health Minister Simeon Brown told RNZ that the decision to strike by the unions would impact many thousands of patients, including the cancellation of hip, knee, and cataract procedures.
“The government urges all those in negotiations to return to the bargaining table.”
On Monday, Corrections nurses and health assistants said they would also be part of the industrial action.
Nurses’ Organisation spokesperson for Corrections, Michael Pye, said the members wanted less on-call work, more staff to be rostered on shift, and an improved pay offer.
When it was announced last week Health NZ nurses had joined the strike action Public Service Association (PSA) said its members “voted overwhelmingly” to strike.
PSA called said Health NZ Te Whatu Ora had failed to meet concerns about safe staffing levels and make a pay offer to nurses that reflected workers’ value to the health system.
Community mental health nurse and PSA delegate Monique Larsen said last week they were reluctant to strike, but had “run out of patience” with Health NZ and the government.
“We can’t keep going the way we are now. We’re constantly trying to look after patients with absolute minimum levels of staffing – it’s not sustainable,” she said.
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