Thousands of New Zealand doctors and dentists have voted to strike next month, giving the government a fresh headache in an election campaign. The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) is issuing strike notices on Monday after a ballot produced 82 per cent support for industrial action. The union, which represents around 5000 medical professionals, is chasing wage rises that keep pace with inflation and improved staffing levels. ASMS executive director Sara Dalton said the 82 per cent support showed "extreme frustration" among members at the government's "refusal to value our workforce, address staff shortages, and ensure that salaries - at the very least - maintain their real value against inflation". Headline consumer price index inflation is at six per cent in New Zealand. The first of three strikes is set for September 5. Ms Dalton said ASMS and the government would engage in talks around maintaining essential life-preserving services during the strike. She attempted to rally doctors and dentists in an email to members on Monday. "For those of you who didn't vote to support the strike, this may be a difficult time. But now we need to come together and present a united front," Ms Dalton said. "The purpose of this strike is to send a message to the employer, that it needs to value its employees, and to the Government and public, that front line health workers need to be valued. "So now is the time to consider how you can organise with your colleagues to make the strike action at your hospital as visible to the public as possible on September 5." The ASMS vote comes after New Zealand's biggest nurses union pulled a 24-hour strike earlier this month after agreeing a deal with public health agency Te Whatu Ora. New Zealanders go to the polls on October 14 and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he "lived in hope" that the doctors and dentists strike may be resolved before then. "We've invested significantly in our doctors and our nurses. They've seen significant pay increases during the time they've been in government," he said. "I'm not going to bargain publicly with them. "I'd encourage the senior doctors to get back around the bargaining table to find a way forward." Australian Associated Press
