United Voice News
Workers at strike point over pay.
An industrial relations stoush between Queensland Health and its clinical technicians and therapists could threaten elective surgery and procedures in hospitals across the state.
Radiographer Mike Trikillis said that Quensland Health had been dangling a pay-rates carrot in front of its health practitioners for nearly three years.
"The general physios and pharmacists just feel ripped off," he said.
"We're ready to walk out or just do the work that we're not being paid for."
As an alternative to strike action, about 1500 workers were considering a mass resignation, he said.
News of the industrial dispute comes as public sector doctores begin voting on whether to accept a State Government wage offer.
Doctors will have two weeks to vote on the offer, which allows for a minimum 4.5 per cent rise in the first year and a minimum 4 per cent rise in the two following years.
Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union Queensland branch assistant secretary Michael de Brenni said the 2005 Queensland Health Systems Review had recognised health practitioners' clinical skills were undervalued.
The most recent industrial agreement between Queensland Health (QH) and health practitioners, reached in September 2007, included a deal to conduct an evaluation aimed at increasing pay rates.
"The project, affecting some 10,700 health workers, was supposed to be completed in mid-2008 but that timeframe was extended to September 2008 and since then QH management has continually committed to deadlines but ignored all of them," Mr de Brenni said.
He said that after the expiry of the most recent deadline last week, the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission had ordered the parties to undertake "lock down" negotiations starting Wednesday.
The union was concerned strike action would be unprotected because the September 2007 agreement stood until August 31, 2010, he said.
Queensland Health acting director-general Tony O'Connell said he acknowledged the right of unions to negotiate on behalf of members and for them to take industrial action if deemed necessary.
"However, I would encourage staff not to use the process to compromise patient safety, including cancelling elective surgery or procedures," he said.
(as featured in The Courier Mail, October 6, 2009 by Margaret Wenham)
