Around 2500 trainee doctors employed by Te Whatu Ora will walk off the job tomorrow after pay negotiations with the ministry stalled last month.
The New Zealand Resident Doctors Association (NZRDA) said members would participate in a full withdrawal from duties for 25 hours – starting at 7am tomorrow morning and ending at 8am on Wednesday.
According to the association, picketing was planned outside of eight hospitals.
“Two days of mediation last week did not result in a settlement,” a spokesperson said.
“A further strike notice for a 49-hour strike from 7am on Thursday, May 16 to 8am on Saturday, May 18 was issued last Wednesday.”
Negotiations between the association and Te Whatu Ora reached an “impasse” last month over what the union described as “unacceptable elements”.
At the time, NZRDA national secretary Dr Deborah Powell said the proposals presented during bargaining amounted to a pay cut for some resident doctors.
“Te Whatu Ora has proposed an unacceptable set of remuneration options, including what would be pay cuts or a pay freeze for nearly 600 registrars, including 300 GP trainees in 2025,” she said in a media release.
“Te Whatu Ora has presented us with a pay offer which represents a significant uplift of around 15-20% and up to 25% in salary rates for some resident doctors.
“Because of the salary model in our collective agreement, however, the impact on our members is uneven and unfair.”
She added: “We have a simple message to Te Whatu Ora in our bargaining – every resident doctor counts. An uplift in some resident doctors pay cannot be paid for by pay cuts for other resident doctors.”
‘Contingency plans’ prepped for strike — Te Whatu Ora
Last month, Te Whatu Ora chief people officer Andrew Slater said officials had “contingency plans to ensure the delivery of health services” amid any strike action.
At the time, Slater said that “in our initial negotiations, we have guaranteed that no resident medical officers will receive a pay cut”.
He said the agency was “focused” on “ongoing good faith bargaining” and that resident medical officers were a “vital” and “valued” part of New Zealand’s health system.
“We have already indicated that we are prepared to make a very significant investment in settling the Resident Doctors’ Association collective agreement.”
“Health NZ believes bargaining is the most effective way to resolve the outstanding issues and avoid potential disruption to patients and the wider health system.”