DHBs call for end to ongoing strikes

DHBs call for end to ongoing strikes

District Health Boards are urging Radiation Therapists to accept the pay offer on the table and end their campaign of industrial action.

Murray Georgel, CEO of MidCentral District Health Board and Spokesperson for the DHBs, says the DHB team was unable to get an agreement which would have prevented an escalation of industrial action this week. There is a series of strikes planned at four hospitals. In addition to ongoing bans of out of hours work Canterbury DHB has notices for 3 days from tomorrow until 12 January, Auckland and Capital and Coast DHBs on the 11 January and 15 January, and MidCentral DHB had a half-day strike today.

“Our offer totals 5.5% over the next 24 months which is fair and reasonable. When added to the increases over the last four years total pay for Radiation Therapists will have gone up more than 30% since 2001.

“The significant pay increases plus heavily subsidised training were part of a package to fix severe shortages in RT numbers that existed five years ago – now there is no shortage of trained people, we have enough graduates to meet our needs, and at the current rate we may soon be training more RTs than we have places.”

Mr Georgel says the package includes automatic increases of between 2 and 6% for more than half the RTs – “In addition we’ve offered 1.4% backdated to Oct last year and another 2.5% from 2 July 2007. That’s a total of 5.5% on top of the significant increase they’ve already had. The cost of the union’s claim on top of the increases already agreed is 7%.”

The Radiation Therapists’ union APEX has issued more than 230 separate strike notices in support of its pay claim. “Some are short strikes in the middle of the day, others are out of hours and weekend bans,” says Mr Georgel. “While, individually the actions are minor, the cumulative impact of this sustained action over six months means hospitals have difficulty coping with the day to day issues such as breakdowns, fluctuations in referrals, staff illness, etc. This will be made worse by these longer strikes at Canterbury, Auckland, Capital and Coast, and MidCentral.

“Before the industrial action began, waiting times were generally related to treatment schedules and everyone who needed radiotherapy had access to it in a suitable timeframe – now we have long waiting times and some hospitals are sending patients to Australia – it will help the problem for some patients but the only thing that can fix it is a return to normal work.

“We urge RTs and their union to reconsider their action for the sake of our patients.”

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SOME FACTS

­ There are about 250 RTs (including about 50 students) over six DHBs – Auckland, Waikato, Mid Central, Wellington, Christchurch and Otago.

­ For the last five years, RTs pay increases have averaged double the rate of inflation – this year we’re offering around CPI and we’re facing an unprecedented level of action.

­ The very high profile past cases of patients being flown to Australia for treatment several years ago have been fixed – the waiting lists and transfers across the Tasman now are largely the result of the action over the last six months.

­ Industrial action is now being increased:

o MidCentral, Palmerston North – half day, 2-5.00pm 8 Jan

o Canterbury – 3 days, 9-12 Jan

o Capital and Coast, Wellington – 2 days, 11 Jan and 15 Jan

o Auckland – 2 days, 11 Jan and 15 Jan

CURRENT PAY RATES

30/06/2001 31/03/2006 $ Increase Total Increase Avg Increase PA

72,167

68,635

63,054 81,947 18,894 30.0% 6.31%

61,045 80,293 19,249 31.5% 6.64%

59,037 77,377 18,341 31.1% 6.54%

57,026 74,460 17,434 30.6% 6.44%

55,016 71,544 16,528 30.0% 6.32%

53,008 68,627 15,620 29.5% 6.20%

Everyone below this line (38% of all RTs) move up one step automatically each year – in addition to the offer now under negotiation.

52,074 65,710 13,636 26.2% 5.51%

49,982 62,793 12,811 25.6% 5.40%

47,888 59,877 11,989 25.0% 5.27%

45,841

56,960 11,119 24.3% 5.11%

43,862 54,044 10,182 23.2% 4.89%

41,822 51,126 9,304 22.2% 4.68%

39,564 48,210 8,646 21.9% 4.60%

37,307 45,293 7,986 21.4% 4.51%

35,050 42,377 7,327 20.9% 4.40%

­ While training, DHBs subsidise student fees, travel and accommodation. Students also get paid a salary while in their 2nd and 3rd years of training

­ The average salary is over $63,000 per year and RTs work mainly office hours

­ 38% of RTs will receive automatic salary increments each year worth between 5.1% and 6.8%

­ The next largest group of RTs, 20% of the workforce, are on step 10 ($68,627), and are able to go up to $71,544 on current merit progression within the year, this is an increase of 4.3%.

ends

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