A war of words is continuing between the union representing anaesthetic technicians at Rotorua Hospital and the Lakes District Health Board, as a five day strike looms over pay and conditions.

The DHB says it's mystified why it's being targeted over health and safety provision for rest breaks between shifts, by the union.

The anaesthetists will be going on a five day strike from Monday February 18 over pay and conditions.

Acting Chief Executive Nick Saville-Wood says the DHB is disappointed at being unable to settle pay talks with anaesthetic technicians

'All elective or scheduled surgery at Rotorua Hospital will have to be postponed during the strike,” says Nick.

'The union's claim that Lakes DHB is refusing to bargain on salary is completely inaccurate.

'The DHB made its best offer in line with what the union had requested in communications with the DHB team on salary increases.

'The health and safety of anaesthetic technician staff has always been front of mind.

'Lakes DHB is satisfied there are adequate health and safety provision for rest breaks between shifts.

'Lakes considered staffing requirements in this group some time before offers were tabled and has looked to increasing the team by a further staff member as well as a trainee

'Lakes DHB has not rescinded any of the health and safety initiatives embedded in the current agreement with the anaesthetic technicians.”

But the union, Allied Scientific and Technical, also known as APEX, says break is just one of the issues over pay and condition they are trying to negotiate with the DHB.

Spokesman Luke Coxon says anaethetists voted on an unprecedented five day strike after Lakes DHB refused to bargain on salary, despite the private sector paying more than 20 per cent higher wages.

'The DHB refused to provide a justification for its position after being directed to do so by the Employment Relations Authority,” says Luke.

'The DHB also rescinded their prior agreement to a crucial health and safety provision, for adequate rest breaks between shifts, which they knew would be a deal-breaker for the anaesthetic Technicians.

'Lakes DHB has lost the plot and abrogated their responsibility to bargain in good faith.

'When we meet the DHB, they come to the table with no room to manoeuvre and only engage in surface bargaining.

'To add insult to injury, they also rescinded an agreement to provide rest breaks–breaks needed to ensure the health and safety of our members–that had been in place for decades.

'The Anaesthetic Technicians are angry and determined.”

DHB's Nick says the union is now demanding that what was agreed for nursing over a three year agreement is paid upfront for this union‘s members, rather than timed over a similar period.

'The Lakes DHB's offer is aligned to the offer accepted by 80 per cent of other clinical staff who have been in negotiations with DHBs for the past 12 months, and is the same as what APEX has accepted for its members in another DHB.”