DHB-employed midwives will strike across NZ from Monday to Thursday next week, ending in a rally at Parliament.
The planned strike in Canterbury will be held on Wednesday, August 11, 11am to 7pm, and midwives on the West Coast will strike on Tuesday, August 10, 11am to 7pm.
MERAS, the union that represents about 1500 DHB-employed midwives, also issued notices for a further 12-hour strike from 8am to 8pm on Thursday, August 19.
MERAS co-leader (industrial) Jill Ovens said they are striking because they feel there is limited ability to negotiate because the DHBs’ advocates are not the decision-makers.
"It is so frustrating, and must be very difficult for them."
"The latest offer would have been worse than the $1200 plus $1200 flat rate increases that our members already rejected, which was over two years and would have meant our members would have been $2400 better off this time next year. So of course we said ‘no’," Ovens says.
Canterbury and West Coast DHB chief executive Dr Peter Bramley said contingency plans have been put in place to ensure the continued safety of women and babies.
"Our contingency plans will reduce the demand on the staff who will be working on those days, while ensuring we can continue to provide safe care and support to women giving birth or recovering during the strike period.”
He said no elective caesareans have been scheduled for during the strike. Emergency caesareans and other birthing-related procedures that are clinically indicated will still go ahead.
"We encourage women expecting to give birth or be in Christchurch Women’s Hospital during the strikes to talk to their LMC for reassurance and unless advised otherwise, they should stick to their birth plan," Bramley said.
"We are in the process of contacting all women likely to be affected by the strike action to let them know that they will still receive the best and safest care we can offer, and to reschedule any clinic appointments that need to be postponed.
The DHBs have an agreement in place with the union to ensure patients receive safe and appropriate care during the strike period. Both DHBs acknowledge the work MERAS and their members do to support patient safety by providing Life-Preserving Services (LPS) during the strike.
"We apologise in advance for the disruption and for any distress this industrial action will cause, while respecting people’s right to strike and the valued role these key staff play as part of our health system,” Bramley said.
"People should access urgent and emergency care as they normally would, and other non-maternity acute care services will remain available throughout the period of the planned strikes."
