Some laboratory workers plan industrial action
Medical laboratory technologists in Canterbury’s public hospitals will take part in a national three-day programme of limited industrial action from 8 a.m. next Tuesday. The 300 technologists will still report for work on those days, but will refuse to handle work related to blood collected on hospital ward rounds; refuse to test outpatients except those needing tests for the maintenance of therapy; and refuse to handle blood specimens of patients known or suspected to have Hepatitis B or A.I.D.S.
They will refuse to test or cross-match blood from patients for pre-planning non-malignant surgery (excluding obstetric cases); refuse to give technical assistance at
post-mortem examinations (except Coroners’ and supply vices only when-jjatients need tests for maintenance of therapy, or/where they are in intensive-care units, neonatal units, coronary care units, or pediatric wards. They will also perform laboratory services where tests are essential for diagnosis or treatment, after consultations between the doctor and laboratory. The chief executive of the Canterbury Hospital Board, Mr Ron Parker, said yesterday that the board did not expect to cancel all non-urgent surgery but there would have to be some cancellations, where there was a high degree of involvement of laboratory staff. “Doctors may have to
do a certain amount of. taking of blood and other related work. We understand that where a medical officer specifies a laboratory test is critical it will be done,” said Mr Parker. Some senior board staff would meet tomorrow morning to decide on the board’s reponse to the threat of industrial action. The action is over a wage claim, working conditions, and in particular the refusal of many hospital boards to provide free screening and vaccination for laboratory workers to protect them against the possibility of contracting Hepatitis B, a disease from which they say they are at considerable risk.
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Press, 4 February 1986, Page 9
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305Some laboratory workers plan industrial action Press, 4 February 1986, Page 9
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