New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association national secretary Deborah Powell confirmed yesterday a strike ballot was under way. The result of the ballot would be known next week.
"I can’t answer your other questions until the ballot is finished," Dr Powell told the Otago Daily Times.
The junior doctors went on strike for 48 hours in October, and then cancelled a second 48-hour strike in November because of the North Canterbury earthquake.
A spokesman for the 20 DHBs said the move was disappointing.
Progress had been made on the junior doctors’ chief concerns of safe rostering and fatigue, the spokesman said. DHBs have agreed to reduce work rosters to a maximum of 10 days in a row, rather than 12, but the parties disagree on the details.
"Rostering is very complex across the 20 DHBs and it requires a fair bit of give and take on both sides," the DHBs’ spokesman said.
The DHBs said recently the October strike had cost $1.5million across the 20 boards.
The junior doctors’ union disputed the cost estimate, saying the real figure would have been higher, RNZ reported.
