ERA steps in over Awanui Labs workers wage dispute
“We are not seen as qualified workers or even human beings,” one frustrated Awanui Labs worker says.
“We are paid the bare minimum for a job that almost all sectors of healthcare rely on to provide proper care to their patients,” another adds.
One worker has taken up a second job which she’s considering moving to fulltime: “I'm over getting paid less than a support worker, and often working at marathon pace all day. It’s been demoralising.”
They’re among the Apex union members who participated in a 24-hour strike last week, but they are afraid they may face consequences if they speak out individually.
Awanui Labs workers have been in collective bargaining since July 2023 and Monday’s strike action was their fifth.
They have sought recommendations from the Employment Relations Authority which has indicated this should be available soon.
“The authority has no other comment to make at this time,” a spokesperson said.
Awanui Labs did not answer questions about their offer or why negotiations had stalled, but Central/Te Manawa Taki general manager Vicki McKnight said: “We are hoping the outcome of those recommendations will support us reaching a resolution.”
Apex advocacy lead David Munro said senior scientists working for Awanui Labs were paid 33% less than their Te Whatu Ora counterparts.
Medical Laboratory Pre-Analytical Technicians (MLPATs) and Medical Laboratory Technicians were paid a starting rate of $23 per hour, Munro said, which was below the new minimum wage of $23.15 per hour.
Keeping in mind that they had to maintain an Annual Practising Certificate, Munro said MLPATs with three years of experience were currently being paid $25.07 an hour while their counterparts at Te Whatu Ora were earning $36.78 an hour.
The union is claiming an hourly rate of $27.95.
Awanui Labs is a private provider that accounts for around 70% of New Zealand’s blood testing services covering the Wellington region south.
A Te Whatu Ora spokesperson said contingency plans were in place ahead of strikes.
“Affected sites generally have enough non-Apex employees to maintain safe operation of laboratory services and ensure urgent specimens are dealt with in a timely way,” the spokesperson said.
Contingency plans include rescheduling services or non-urgent testing.
The spokesperson noted that life-preserving services were still being offered during strikes and thanked Awanui and workers for their co-operation with this.
In the meantime, lab workers, who say they’re under immense pressure amid short staffing, are frustrated with how long the bargaining process has dragged on for.
One Nelson worker said there were times colleagues had to pull together to help their co-workers struggling to look after their families.
Southland workers started food banks to support colleagues who were losing wages during strikes.
Another worker spoke about how helpless he felt.
“We are in this job to help people, healthcare is a necessary right for any developed nation, but we are not being allowed even the basics to help ourselves.
“I used to feel so proud [of] the work we did and the lab we work within for all we achieved. It feels like hollow smoke now, like the rose-tinted glasses have finally come off.”
Partial strike action in Canterbury and Southland is ongoing.
“We are in this job to help people, healthcare is a necessary right for any developed nation, but we are not being allowed even the basics to help ourselves.” Lab worker