TLab staff in Gisborne and colleagues across the country will strike early next month after pay parity negotiations failed.
Medical lab workers and members of Apex (Association of Professional and Executive Employees) – a specialist union for allied, scientific and technical employees in New Zealand – voted to strike on February 5 and 7 after bargaining claims for pay parity were rejected in negotiations with Awanui Labs, Pathlab Ltd and Medlab Central/TLab.
Members involved in the vote are based in Gisborne, Whangārei, Taranaki, Waikato, Tauranga, Whakatāne, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Whanganui, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and the South Island.
The TLab based at Gisborne Hospital provides laboratory services to community and hospital patients.
Its employees include biochemists and services conducted on-site include microbiology, clinical biochemistry, haematology and transfusion services, according to Health NZ.
TLab laboratory workers in Gisborne went on strike in July last year after receiving a pay offer described at the time as “inflammatory”.
The Apex union says medical laboratory workers employed in these labs are paid on average 28% to 32% less than their Health NZ Te Whatu Ora (public health system) counterparts, despite performing the same work.
A Gisborne Apex delegate told the Gisborne Herald that the February strike “will be a big effort”.
“It’s really important to us,” she said. “We are really struggling with the workload here and insufficient staff.”
Apex advocate Sam Heimsath said the message from members was simple – “same work, same pay”.
Apex had raised a claim for pay parity in each set of bargaining to rectify the significant wage rate disadvantage and enable the rebuilding of struggling medical laboratory services.
“The ongoing wage gap has created an untenable recruitment and retention environment for privately owned laboratories,” Heimsath said.
“As a result, a number of members are working unsafely, burning out and ultimately exiting the sector.
“This vicious cycle threatens the sustainable provision of hospital and community diagnostic services in this country”.
Medlab Central/TLab was approached for comment. – Story by Wynsley Wrigley
