Radiographers who went on a three days strike in Auckland, NZ, came back to work today after a three-day strike but they will soon walk off the job again tomorrow to be a part of a nationwide strike.

Radiographers from Christchurch have pulled out of tomorrow’s national action following Saturday’s devastating earthquake which sent several hundred people to hospitals, mostly with minor injuries.

Radiographers from Auckland took off on a strike last Friday after last-minute talks with district health boards were no help to resolve a contracts dispute. The strike came to an end last night but added hundreds of patients to the backlog of those who were already waiting for surgery and x-rays.

Spokesman of the Auckland District Health Board Matthew Rogers said that disruption was limited although elective surgery was cancelled at the Auckland City and Starship hospitals.

Margaret Wilsher, chief medical officer, said that the list of patients waiting for images and surgery was huge.

Hospitals in Auckland said that they were fine and were coping up when the radiographers’ union Apex agreed to do life-preserving and limb-preserving work.