Thousands of patients will have their operations and other procedures delayed when senior doctors and dentists go on three separate strikes next month.
Te Whatu Ora is standing by its offer to increase their pay by between $15 and $26,000, as well as a lump sum payment of around $4,000.
But the union says that would amount to an effective pay cut, given inflation.
Combined with staff shortages and unsustainable working conditions, they say more and more staff are being driven to the private sector or overseas.
President of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists and respiratory paediatrician at Starship Hospital Julian Vyas spoke to Corin Dann.
