Hundreds of New Zealand Blood Service employees across the country have voted to strike next week, impacting elective surgeries in major centres.
More than 290 lab workers, scientists, technicians and administrators will stop work on Friday, May 31 from 1pm to 5pm and for 24 hours on Tuesday June 4.
Their union, the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mah (PSA), says the action follows more than seven months of stalled negotiations to try and achieve pay parity with Te Whatu Ora.
"It's extremely unfair for us to be paid 13-35 percent less than our colleagues at Te Whatu Ora for the same work, with the same skills and experience," said PSA delegate Sian Dallaway.
Strike action will take place in Auckland, Waikato, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Wellington Christchurch and Dunedin.
The PSA says emergency and life-preserving services will be maintained during the strike action, but elective surgeries will not be able to take place.
Dallaway says members have not received a pay offer from their employer despite months of talks.
"People are struggling with their bills now, and we just can’t keep waiting."
The union says the pay gap is seeing experienced workers leave and preventing the recruitment of new employees.
The industrial action will also include:
- Refusal to do work outside of paid hours from May 29 to June 6
- A partial strike by refusal to conduct duties associated with processing AHF plasma from May 29 to June 6
- Refusal to do overtime or extra shifts between June 6-19.
