Medical workers employed by one of the country's largest laboratory service providers will walk off the job next week, in Hawkes Bay, Wellington and the South Island after a break down in pay talks.
The labs are warning there will be delays for patients; despite contingency arrangements for critical or life preserving services.
The technicians and scientists process tests for everything from cancers to kidney and liver function,and of course COVID-19.
The strike follows a stand-off between the lab service's privately owned parent company Awanui and workers covered by the APEX union.
APEX says the average wage increase claim across the lab professions is about 23 percent.
Next week, different specialty staff will walk off the job on Wednesday and Thursday with more strikes planned for the following Monday and Tuesday.
New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science president, Terry Taylor, spoke to Lisa Owen.
In a statement from Awanui group on behalf of its lab services it says its disappointed the union initiated stike action after a single day of bargaining and it will be tabling a package next week.
"The industrial action will affect laboratory services in Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland regions and will mean delays to services, or no services at all, in most of these regions. Blood testing in the community will be severely impacted across the South Island and some regions will not have community collection services available from 12 to 18 July."
It says the priority will be ensuring those who are seriously ill still receive the critical, life preserving services they need.
