Worries for District Health Board budgets if a pay increase is granted to clerical and administrative staff.

The 7000 staff are among the poorest paid workers in the health system and are 90 percent female.

The PSA has handed a claim for pay equity to the DHBs, looking for a 15-45 percent pay increase.

Otago University Business Professor Robin Gauld told Mike Hosking this is going to be problematic for the DHBs' already tight budgets.

"That's why they reach thee points of lock up and the DHBs simply have no room to move."

LISTEN ABOVE AS ROBIN GAULD SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING