Opposite to what was expected, it was a `quiet' strike. Yesterday, 800 of the radiation technologists and the lab specialists who work in public hospitals went on a strike. They replied on the decision of the District Health Board to cut costs through job layoffs, by a series of industrial actions, which took place throughout the last month.

During the announcement which the radiographers made before the strike, they said that the strike would last for 24 hours. This strike was not the first of its kind, but it was the most intense. Only 61% of the work force was available at the hospitals, whereas the rest was joining the strikers. However, the radiographers and the lab specialists working at the Canterbury District Health Board did not participate in the strike, due to the emergency cases resulting from the Canterbury earthquake.

According to Pat Davidsen, the Manager of Clinical Services at Nelson Marlborough District Health Board, the strike did not cause any major disruption at the public hospitals.

Karen Roach, the District Health Board New Zealand Negotiation Spokeswoman, said, "The sort of settlement being offered to [radiologists] was enough for 75% of the DHB workforce, including nurses and allied health staff".