Medical lab workers are set to strike today for better pay

The industrial action follows a stand-off between the lab service's privately owned parent company Awanui, and workers covered by the APEX union.

The strike is expected to impact all Awanui medical laboratories from Wellington to Invercargill.

APEX Union Advocacy Lead David Munro says workers are demanding a 23.5 percent wage increase to regain parity with public laboratory workers.

He says Awanui workers are paid six thousand dollars a year less than laboratory workers at Te Whatu Ora.