APEX Union have announced their members in Awanui Whangarei, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and the South Island will take industrial action (strike) on the 5 and 7 February 2025. 

The extent to which services will be operating will vary across each region.

Awanui labs Northland will REMAIN OPEN on those days. The collection centres, laboratory reception and couriers will all be operating as usual.  The Awanui Whangarei laboratory will not be testing samples. Please refer to the list below of the tests classified as urgent which will be processed by Whangarei Hospital laboratory. All other tests will be referred to Awanui Auckland for processing or onward referral where relevant.

We will endeavour to provide results in the usual timeframes but there may be up to half a day delay in some instances. Where possible, you should encourage your patients to have routine screening tests collected either prior to or after the strike. Please note that these strike days fall either side of Waitangi Day and the collection centres and laboratory are closed on Waitangi Day.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you and your patients and assure you we are doing our best to minimise the impact of this industrial action.

URGENT TESTS – Processed by Whangarei Hospital Laboratory

Troponin T

D-Dimer

INR Prothrombin ratio

Coagulation Screen (includes APTT, Fibrinogen)

Any tests requested as Urgent by referrers

Tests that will NOT be collected on strike days 5 and 7 February 2025

Skin prick allergy tests

Semen analysis

Glucose Tolerance and Polycose

Cold Agglutinins

Cryoglobulins

Lupus Anticoagulant

Thrombophilia Screen (including APC Resistance, Antithrombin 3, Protein S, Protein C)

ADAMTS-13 Activity

Von Willebrand screen

Clotting Factor Assays

Dabigatran Assay

Thiamine (Vitamin B1)