Anaesthetic techs set to go on strike

Anaesthetic technicians look to be the first hospital staff to take strike action under the new health system, with their union saying lacklustre pay talks forced their hand.

About 200 anaesthetic technicians with the Apex union will be on a partial strike from July 21 if they cannot reach an agreement with their new employer, Health New Zealand, before then.

The partial strikes would last three weeks and would mean technicians would take all scheduled breaks and would not work outside their scheduled hours.

In Waitematā , the technicians are on a lower pay scale and members at North Shore and Waitā kere hospitals are threatening to carry on a partial strike for more than three months, but they would also refuse to insert central catheter (PICC) lines and will not insert intravenous lines on wards.

‘‘Members don’t want to be going on strike and delaying surgery, but it’s really difficult when you’re negotiating with people in Wellington, and they don’t really care about what’s happening on the ground in hospitals,’’ Apex senior advocate Luke Coxon said.

The latest pay offer was worse than one sent in April, and less than what Public Service Association members in the same jobs were set to get, Coxon said.

Members have also voted for a full, 24-hour strike on July 28, but the official notice had not yet been sent to Health NZ in the hope it could be avoided, Coxon said.

There is a critical shortage of anaesthetic technicians across the country, which is being compounded by staff sickness, according to those on the frontline.

‘‘It’s pretty manic,’’ a Wellington anaesthetic technician said, who Stuff agreed not to name. ‘‘Just yesterday (Wednesday) we had seven off crook.’’

Health NZ said 16 districts had been sent notices for the partial strikes and contingency planning was under way to ensure the impact on services was minimised.

Negotiations with the union were ongoing, Health NZ employment relations spokesperson Rosemary Clements said.

The next meeting is planned for Monday.

‘‘We believe an agreement can be reached with ... this group as long as there is some good will on both sides.’’

There are 198 anaesthetic technicians in the Apex union, from an estimated 600 nationwide.