District Health Boards pulled the plug on contract settlement options with the union representing radiographers today, saying "enough is enough".
"We have no more room to move," DHBs representative Karen Roach said. "The offer that was on the table is now off the table,"
The union action had moved from just being an inconvenience to impacting on patients, she told a media conference this morning.
Radiographers have issued nearly 600 strike notices in the past three months after turning down an offer of a pay increase of 1 percent in April and a further 1 percent increase this month.
The radiographers' union Apex had asked for backdated pay as well as time in lieu for professional development courses.
Ms Roach said the DHBs had become frustrated with the radiographers and said they would pull their offer if it was not accepted by 5pm yesterday. No acceptance came in by that time.
"We have done everything possible to prioritise claims (union negotiator) Deborah Powell says are important to Apex members within what we can afford," she said.
"But Apex is asking for a settlement with a cost that is 50 percent more than has already been agreed with over 90 percent of unionised health sector employees - including nursing and allied/technical/scientific employees."
Ms Roach said the DHBs did not accept statements from Apex that there was only $200,000 separating the two parties and said it was more like $1.8 million.
"We remain ready and willing to meet with Apex to explore settlement options, but after October 19 this offer is off the table. DHBs have not found any particular recruitment or retention difficulties with this workforce that would warrant making them a special case.
"Most of their fellow health sector employees recognise the reality of the financial situation facing the sector. Why can't this union?"
Apex spokeswoman Bernadette Gourley said she was disappointed at the DHBs' decision.
"We had got to the point where there was very little between the parties," she said last night.
Ms Gourley maintained the financial difference was about $200,000, and said the DHBs should have put up a dollar figure for the difference if they disagreed.
"They are willing to take on the cost of the strikes, which is far in excess of that."
Ms Gourley said industrial action may be escalated because of the DHBs' action.
