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Whanganui junior doctors are striking for the third time in a month to call for better working conditions and fairer pay outcomes. Between 15-20 doctors joined the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) strike action in Whanganui on Thursday. The strike is due to run from 7am on Thursday until 8am on Saturday, June 1.

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora chief people officer Andrew Slater said he was frustrated and disappointed the doctors were going ahead with the strike despite the Employment Relations Authority recommending they pause during facilitation. Whanganui Hospital resident doctor Sophie Janssen said she would like hospitals to phase out double long-day weekends. “It’s something that happens quite commonly at smaller hospitals like Whanganui.



“Junior doctors work 32 hours in a 48-hour period over the weekend, so from about 7.30am on Saturday until 10pm on Sunday - provided you leave on time.” Janssen said the shifts were “fatiguing”, highly demanding and meant doctors worked with reduced sleep hours.

“They’re also incredibly unsafe for the patients.” Patients had asked Janssen on Sunday evening shifts: “Why are you still here? You were here yesterday at 10pm and now you’re here again.” Whanganui Hospital resident doctor Phillipa Hawke said there was a pay gap between the two unions Te Whatu Ora needed to close.

“At the moment there’s a decent discrepancy in pay, and I don’t think it’s fair that I’ll be getting paid less than my collea.

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