Doctors to strike again next week

Proposed changes to the way junior doctors are rostered continues to be the main sticking point with district health boards, as the collective agreement saga drags on.

The two sides have been unable to break the contractual deadlock during the latest round of mediation, meaning next week’s 48-hour strike, starting on Tuesday morning, will go ahead.

It will be the second time this month members of the New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association (NZRDA) have taken strike action.

The union, which represents the vast majority of trainee doctors, has resisted signing a new Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (Meca), largely due to the proposed roster changes.

DHBs spokesman Dr Peter Bramley claimed NZRDA was already in the process of balloting for further strikes in February.

‘‘That’s hardly good faith and suggests it had already made up its mind to keep striking,’’ Bramley said.

While the DHBs have expressed their commitment to bargaining in ‘‘good faith’’ and to ‘‘finding a solution’’, the standoff could play into their hands.

The terms of the current Meca are due to expire at the end of next month. NZRDA was concerned DHBs could impose the terms of the Specialty Trainees of New Zealand collective agreement from March. That deal featured the rostering changes that NZRDA is so vehemently against.