United Voice News
Paramedics welcome interim pay offer, but more needed
The LHMU – the paramedics union – has welcomed the State Government’s four percent interim offer while arbitration continues with Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS).
“We certainly welcome this pay offering, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas when many low-paid ambulance officers are feeling the pinch,” LHMU organiser Jason Dutton said.
“It is a long-overdue sign that the Government is finally taking the role of ambulance officers in our society seriously.
“However, it’s important to remember that this matter is far from resolved.
“We have the goal of making the ambulance service an attractive and sustainable career for new applicants and we want to stem the exodus from Queensland paramedics to services interstate or overseas.”
Arbitration is expected to continue well into 2009 as the LHMU works to negotiate an outcome that will help solve problems with attrition and retention in the QAS.
Mr Dutton said that while ambulance officers are involved in saving lives every day, in comparison to other health workers their pay is substantially less.
“We’re asking for some degree of parity between what ambulance officers earn and what other healthcare professionals earn,” he said.
“QAS still hasn’t offered us that parity.”
All Queensland ambulance officers will receive the four percent pay rise backdated to the start of October while they continue arbitration.
For more information, contact Edwina Cameron on 0410 631 404.
