Southland Allied, Public Health and scientific and technical staff have been picketing every Friday since March, and tonight they are off the job for a 24-hour strike.

Raising public awareness about fair pay and treatment, the group said Southlanders deserve to know how undervalued the staff are who are responsible for their health and wellbeing.

Part of the 10,000-strong organised strike across the country, Southlanders surgeries and procedures are being postponed even further because of this, and the standard of care lessens as more time on their expired contract passes and staff resign.

Sterile sciences technician Zoe McMeeken said looking after healthcare workers is looking after Southland, “but the DHB’s and Andrew Little have better places to put their money apparently.”

The group does not include doctors, nurses and midwives, and with no pay offer having been received from DHBs and the Ministry of Health, the strike will begin at midnight tonite and continue until midnight on May 16.

The Southland group will also be out again protesting on hospital corner all day from 8am to 3pm.

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