“Significant Development In South Canterbury Senior Doctors Dispute”

“There has been a significant development in the bitter protracted dispute between the South Canterbury District Health Board and senior doctors that has led to four unprecedented strikes,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“Management has made a new proposal which we consider genuine and serious. While we have not accepted it, we recognise that it is a significant step in the right direction. Consequently we have deferred our fifth strike scheduled for Friday 7 March. Instead negotiations will resume on that same day.”

“This new development is directly in response to the high level of solidarity and determination of senior doctors in being forced to take unprecedented strike action and to the magnificent support that they have received from the public of South Canterbury. Senior doctors have been humbled by the strong level of public appreciation for their work and the untenable working conditions they have to put up with in providing good quality and safe patient care.”

“The dispute is not over but it has moved forward. A stopwork meeting will be held on 13 March to consider whether there is a basis for settlement or whether further strike action might be required,” concluded Mr Powell.

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