The father of a young child denied surgery this week due to a strike by radiographers in Auckland has made a plea for workers to think again.
Auckland District Health Board has cancelled 500 non-urgent operations as it prepares for a three-day walkout by radiographers from Friday over pay.
Radiographers are also set to strike for 24 hours throughout the country next Tuesday.
Gary Jones says life is a struggle as he and his partner look after 17-month-old Rebecca, who was born brain damaged and with cerebral palsy, and needs operations to help her with swallowing and other problems.
Mr Jones says he accept the right to strike, but when it causes harm it is time to consider other approaches.
Radiographers say they regret the disruption, but will not be bullied into accepting a pay deal that is unacceptable.
They say there is still time to avert the nationwide strike, but there are no talks scheduled yet between them and district health boards.
However, DHBs say other health sector workers have accepted a similar pay rise, and so should this group.
Industrial action 'putting patients at risk'
District health boards say rolling industrial action by hospital radiographers and lab workers is putting patients at risk and damaging morale.
DHBs say they have received 348 notices of industrial action from the radiographers since early July and 139 notices from medical laboratory workers.
The notices extend to mid-September for lab workers and late September for radiographers.
They cover low-level action, such as not answering phones, nor conducting certain tests, as well as full-scale walkouts.
Counties Manukau DHB says it is well practised at planning for strikes, but managing such varied action over months is logistically difficult.
The medical radiation technologists' union APEX has agreed to a pay offer of 1% now and a further 1% in October but wants it backdated to the end of the last collective agreement almost a year ago.
Radiographers also want time in lieu for professional development they undertake in their own time and pay parity for sonographers.
