Technicians strike over pay gap

Surgeries put off as union members seek ‘fair offer’

Anaesthetic technicians at Whangarei Hospital at loggerheads with their employer are asking for between $2000 and $3000 more annually as part of their negotiations over better pay and working conditions.

The hospital was forced to postpone 18 elective surgeries yesterday after two dozen anaesthetic technicians and trainees staged a 24-hour strike in an effort to receive a fair offer from Health New Zealand.

They, together with more than 200 colleagues from across New Zealand, stayed away from work during the industrial action. The only exception was during emergencies.

They are members of the Association of Professional and Executive Employees (Apex) working in hospitals at Waitemata, North Shore, Whangārei, Tauranga, Whakatāne, Wellington, Hutt, Kenepuru, Rotorua, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hawke’s Bay, Southland, Nelson, Palmerston North, Waikato and Taranaki.

Faye Moore, an anaesthetic technician delegate for Apex at Whangarei Hospital, said they wanted pay parity and other conditions in line with what PSA members working in the same profession were getting.

She said PSA has concluded its negotiation with Health NZ and its members were now getting between $2000 and $3000 more than Apex members working as anaesthetic technicians across the country.

“No one likes surgeries being delayed or cancelled but industrial action seems to be the only way to get Health NZ to listen and act. We’ll also be working to rule until August 12,” Moore said.

A qualified anaesthetic technician’s starting pay is about $54,000 a year at a public hospital.

General manager surgical and support services at Health NZ in Northland Mark McGinley said the 18 postponed elective surgeries would be rescheduled to within the next one or two weeks.

Apex senior advocate Luke Coxon said the new offer received early this week would still see Apex-affiliated technicians falling behind their colleagues who belong to another union.

“You can’t perform most surgeries without an anaesthetic technician there so the strike will be pretty disruptive.

“The employer knows what they need to do to avoid this disruption, and that’s give us a reasonable offer on salaries that does something to address the increased cost of living for our members.”

Health NZ spokeswoman on employment relations Rosemary Clements said the Government acknowledged the tremendous work being done by the entire health workforce at an incredibly trying time.

“Therefore, it is hugely disappointing Apex has refused to even show its members our latest offer which we believe could have prevented strike action at a time when hospitals are under huge pressure from Covid, flu, staff illness and high occupancy.

“A comprehensive pay offer has been made that would align their salaries to the majority of anaesthetic technicians who are represented by the PSA.”

Clements said a third of about 600 anaesthetic technicians at hospitals around the country were members of Apex which was using strikes to get settlements higher than colleagues who were members of other unions.

The timing of the strike action in the midst of the winter peak and a growing Covid infections would put additional pressure on the health system, she said.

Clements said hospitals would notify patients directly if elective and other community services needed to be deferred.

“Emergency and essential services will be available and if someone does need urgent hospital care, they shouldn’t delay getting help.”