Chatham-Kent Health Alliance extends imaging hours amid delays caused by strike

The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is warning patients of longer-than-normal delays for diagnostic imaging as a strike at a local company stretches on.

The diagnostic imaging department at the health alliance has expanded hours for X-rays walk-in patients to help with longer wait times due to an "external labour disruption."

At the Chatham site, the imaging department will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, while in Wallaceburg imaging will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Patients requiring an ultrasound must fax their requisition to the patient appointment office at 519-437-6040, and appointments will be triaged accordingly.

Workers at Clear Medical Imaging in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent have been on strike since Oct.25. Talks between the company and Unifor, which represents theworkers, resumed and then broke down last week. Unifor says outstanding issues include wages, benefits, overtime and opposition to outsourcing.

Unifor confirmed Friday workers remain on strike.