Laboratory Workers at Awanui Labs on Strike for a week.
Monday 10 July 2023
Laboratory Workers at SCL Labs – part of Awanui Labs – in the South Island and Wellington region commence strike action in support of settling their collective agreement. Strike action will occur as follows:
Wednesday 12 July 2023 Complete withdrawal of all Phlebotomy services
Thursday 13 July 2023 Complete withdrawal of laboratory services except phlebotomy
Monday 17 July 2023 Complete withdrawal of all Phlebotomy services
Tuesday 18 July 2023 Complete withdrawal of laboratory services except phlebotomy
The strike will impact all medical laboratories and collection centres from the Wellington region south, except for Canterbury Health Labs at Christchurch hospital and the lab at Grey hospital on the West Coast. The strike also includes the Awanui Lab in Hawkes Bay.
Awanui has made no pay offer yet at bargaining. APEX covers scientists, technicians and phlebotomists. Our wages claim across these occupations averages around 23.5%. This is the minimum required to regain parity with other similarly qualified health sector workers, and to maintain that against current cost-of-living pressures.
APEX represents more than 80% of the workforce who fall within the coverage of the collective agreement.
Life Preserving Services Agreements have been made for those hospital labs where a union member must be available during the strike in the event of a life, limb, or possibility of permanent disability, medical crisis event.
‘The parties will be in mediation to try and resolve this dispute on Wednesday 12th July 2023,’ notes David Munro Advocacy Lead for the APEX union. ‘It is good that we will finally be talking again,’ said Mr Munro. However, in a breathtaking piece of business arrogance Awanui has advised us that they intend to present a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ offer on Wednesday.
‘They have had our claims since early May, and now propose to turn up to mediation with a blindsiding proposal that could have been shared already with us. That hardly augers well for constructive negotiations.’ Mr Munro concluded.
Further strike action for late July is planned if bargaining remains unsuccessful.
ENDS
Contact: David Munro – Advocacy Lead Mobile: (027) 276 9999 Email: david@apex.org.nz
What is a Medical Laboratory Worker?
Medical Laboratory Workers are registered health professionals who run laboratories and test, interpret and report laboratory results. They are trained to identify disease and abnormalities through studying blood, tissue and other bodily samples. Laboratory workers work ‘behind the scenes’ but remain an integral part of the health system whose work is vital to patient treatment. More than 90% of prescribed treatments require laboratory input to aid/confirm diagnosis or to monitor drug levels or disease progression.
Medical laboratory science is a bit like detective work. Workers look for answers to the disease ‘puzzle’ to help doctors diagnose and treat their patients. They answer questions such as: are these cells abnormal? What do these blood cells tell us about this person’s health? How does it fit in with their other symptoms? How much of drug ‘x’ is in this person’s blood? Is it working effectively? What bug is making this person sick?
Medical Laboratory Workers take on a high level of responsibility, often needing to make important decisions under pressure. Emergencies can occur at any time, day or night, so laboratory workers have to prioritise and use their initiative, often without much back-up. If the doctor needs to know the answer, they have to deliver. Sometimes this means working through the night providing results while patients fight for their life in another part of the hospital or a surgeon waits, mid-operation, for a phone call.
Responsibilities include developing, adapting and applying scientific methods of analysis and ensuring high standards of quality assurance. An understanding of the methodology and theory behind complicated, technical and automated equipment is essential, as is developing the skills necessary to identify and interpret abnormalities under the microscope or via other diagnostic technology. Laboratory workers are highly regarded and sought after worldwide.