Orthopaedic Surgeons Condemn Strike Action

Media Statement
April 11 2007

Orthopaedic Surgeons Condemn Strike Action

A media statement by the President of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association, Murray Fosbender.

Health workers in the laboratory and radiography services have announced their intention of further strike action. Such actions are inappropriate in the health services and place extra and unacceptable risk to the patient groups and stress on the remaining workers.

The health system has a high level of demand and is expected to deliver optimum care to large numbers. The success of our system is hugely undermined by strike action with irretrievable and expensive loss of services. Both parties in this dispute (health workers and hospitals) are aware of this.

It is obvious there will be no negotiated settlement in this dispute without assistance of arbitration. Compulsory arbitration must be an alternative to this ongoing destructive process of strike action.

In December last year the NZOA appealed to both parties to consider the risks of further strike action. The NZOA made a plea for more understanding by policy makers and compulsory arbitration between parties to curtail the compromise and loss of services we were witnessing. At that time, the NZOA joined the Medical Council of New Zealand in its call for a change in law to make arbitration for health sector disputes compulsory. It is disheartening that four months later we are still pleading over the same issue.

ENDS

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