27 Apr 2019

Strikes by junior doctors have cost millions, says union

12:23 pm on 27 April 2019

Junior doctors are accusing their employers of wasting millions of dollars coping with strikes over their employment contract.

Esme and Frey Battson, 6 and 4, out in support of their junior doctor mum.

A junior doctors' strike outside Auckland Hospital in January. Photo: RNZ / Matthew Theunisson

Members of the Resident Doctors' Association are to go on strike for five days from Monday.

They have already held four two-day strikes since mid-January.

The union said details released under the Official Information Act showed district health boards spent $15 million on healthcare workers, including senior doctors, to provide cover during the strikes.

Re-scheduling operations and other services cost Auckland DHB more than $1.5m, the union said.

Health boards said strikes always created costs and these would be avoided if the union cancelled the next strike.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs