Junior Hospital Doctors Set to Strike for 25 Hours
Junior hospital doctors in New Zealand are set to strike for 24 hours next month, potentially causing significant service disruptions. Their union, the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA), issued a strike notice to Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand on Monday after pay talks stalled.
Pay Disparity and Shortage Concerns
The RDA, representing approximately 2,500 doctors, cited a disparity in pay increases as one of the primary reasons for the strike. While most members were offered significant raises of up to 25%, around 300 doctors face a proposed 12% pay cut. These individuals are training as specialists in areas of critical shortage, including psychiatry, radiation oncology, and public health.
“We believe Te Whatu Ora is irrational in presenting a pay cut to critical specialties,” said RDA secretary Deborah Powell. “It’s incomprehensible why you would penalize doctors who provide essential services and are already in short supply.”
Trainee General Practitioners Also Affected
The pay cut proposal also extends to trainee general practitioners. According to Powell, junior doctors who are receiving pay increases are not willing to leave their colleagues behind, especially those in vital services.
“They’re standing up to say it’s not acceptable to implement pay cuts that will ultimately impact the availability of vital specialists. There are patients who rely on these services, and we must advocate for them,” she added.
Strike Impact and Contingency Plans
If the strike proceeds as planned on May 7th from 7 AM to 7 AM the following day, critical services will be covered by senior doctors, non-union members, and those exempted from the strike. Nevertheless, service disruptions are expected.
Hospitals are currently developing contingency plans in case of a strike to ensure essential services can still be provided.
Negotiations Continue, Optimism Cautious
Mediation is scheduled for next week, providing a glimmer of hope for averting the strike. However, Powell emphasized that Te Whatu Ora must make concessions.
In a statement, Te Whatu Ora chief people officer Andrew Slater refuted the RDA’s claim of a pay cut. “Our initial negotiations included a guarantee that no resident medical officer will receive a pay cut,” he said.
Te Whatu Ora remains committed to negotiations and hopes to avoid a strike. Slater acknowledged the value of resident medical officers within the healthcare system and expressed their willingness to invest significantly in settling the collective agreement.
Mehek