Dispute Over Future Of Medical Laboratories
by APEX · SCOOP- Four days of strikes notified by 660 medical lab workers on 19/20/23/24 November
- Awanui refuses moratorium on more cuts to health services
- Parties remain in facilitated bargaining
Six hundred and sixty medical laboratory workers employed at Awanui Labs have notified strike action on Thursday 19 November, Friday 20 November, Monday 23 November and Tuesday 24 November. Collective bargaining for a new contract between APEX Union and Awanui Labs has ground to a halt with Awanui refusing a moratorium on another round of cuts to medical laboratory services.
Strike action will impact medical laboratories and phlebotomy collection centres in Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Hospital services will be impacted including at Southland, Dunedin, Wellington, Hutt, Oamaru, Nelson and Wairau Hospitals.
Pay rates, working conditions, and the future of medical lab services remain live issues in negotiations. In September 2026 APEX undertook a survey of 620 Awanui employees which found:
89% say concerns raised with management will not be adequately addressed;
In Queenstown, Balclutha, Oamaru, Hutt and Kenepuru Hospital Labs 100% of staff said the staffing situation in their lab is either ‘poor’ or at a ‘crisis’ level. In the remaining labs 70% say the staffing situation in their lab is either ‘poor’ or at a ‘crisis’ level;
66% say the company are not running safe laboratory services.
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“Awanui are offering to pass on to employees a part of their Health New Zealand funding uplift. But Awanui are refusing to guarantee scientists will not be made redundant, or lab services cut to clawback money spent on pay rises. Despite a 2025 cash profit (EBIDTA) of $77 million, Awanui continues to reduce lab services and understaff collection centres,” said Omar Hamed, APEX National Secretary.
“We proposed a moratorium on further lab cuts and staff redundancies. They refused. We should not have to choose between a pay rise and the continuation of safe lab services,” continued Mr Hamed.
“We are seeking an agreement with Awanui which lifts pay, improves conditions and protects medical laboratory services which are a critical component of healthcare for all New Zealanders”, concluded Mr Hamed.
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