Whakatane and Tauranga Hospitals' orderlies, catering, cleaning and laundry staff members of the Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU have given notice of a two hour stop work meeting tomorrow.

Contingency planning at both hospitals will ensure that patients still receive meals and some staff will remain on duty to keep essential services through the two hour period from 12.30pm.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board is one of 17 DHBs in the multi-employer collective agreement with the SFWU.

"Union members are exercising their right to a stop work meeting. This is a normal part of the wage bargaining process," says Phillip Balmer, chief operating officer at the DHB. "Covering staff for two hours will not disrupt the hospitals' operation too much."