It is hoped Oamaru Hospital will not be too badly affected by two 24-hour strikes planned by support staff - one on Friday and the second on Monday.
The strikes follow a breakdown in negotiations between Compass group and the Service and Food Workers' Union, whose members are unhappy they had not received the national pay rates and conditions, which all other hospital service workers received earlier this year.
Oamaru Hospital general manager Robert Gonzales said yesterday it had a contract with Medirest, a subsidiary of Compass, which had a clause covering situations such as a strike.
He referred the Otago Daily Times to Medirest about how it would cope.
Medirest general manager Ross Cameron said the strikes would have "very little effect" on the hospital's operation.
Services would be provided by Medirest staff management, he said.
The workers are employed in kitchen services, cleaning, orderly services and security.
Although the staff work for a contractor, funding for the hospital comes from the Otago District Health Board.
The union's southern regional secretary, Campbell Duigan, said all the hospital's doctors, nurses and radiographers were employed on terms and conditions that reflected national agreements.
"Our members are saying that they shouldn't be discriminated against and, as the lowest-paid workers in the hospital, they need a good increase more than any others," Mr Duigan said.
The first 24-hour strike will start at 6am on Friday, ending at 6am on Saturday.
A further 24-hour strike will follow on Monday, starting at 6am.
