Lab. workers ‘forced back to table’

Press, 18 February 1986, Page 20

Lab. workers ‘forced back to table’

p A Hamilton A union leader says medical laboratory workers, who struck last week, were forced back to the bargaining table by the Government. A laboratary workers’ spokesman at Waikato Hospital, Mr Brian Hancock, said staff were unhappy about the return to work announced last week after national talks with Government negotiators. “Staff, here were already to continue, but it was just because of the position we were put in we had to stop,” he said. Mr Hancock would give no details of the alleged pressure put on the laboratory technologists for fear of jeopardising future pay negotiations. But he

said the full story would eventually come out. “AU that’s happened is that our council has lifted the industrial action, and we have • ” reluctantly agreed to go to a public sector tribunal hearing,” he said. Medical laboratory technologists’ institute leaders have said little about their move to stop strike action. At the time the move was announced some hospital administrators, particularly in Auckland, were reporting dwindling stocks of blood supplies because of the industrial action. The laboratory technologists are claiming pay rises of up to 35 per cent and have been offered up to 5 per cent.