Another AHP bargaining meeting yesterday, and another round of disappointment and frustration by a government that probably couldn’t even tell you what an allied health professional does.
We were promised a wage offer in this meeting, but surprise, surprise – apparently, Jeremy Rockliff and Eric Abetz are too busy to pick up the phone to table a fair pay deal for their AHP workforce.
On top of that, the government’s high-paid negotiator has told us a whole range of your claims have been rejected unless they are negotiated in a separate, standard state service conditions bargain. These include:
- Upping your annual leave by a week (which is what Victoria currently receives).
- Matching your superannuation entitlements to what Commonwealth workers currently receive.
- Enhanced long service leave entitlements.
- increases to weekend shift penalties.
- 4-day work week as an alternative to wholesale pay increases.
The negotiator has also made it clear once again that they are not looking at rolling in market allowances to the base salaries of AHPs. Let’s be perfectly clear: this means that there is no guarantee that existing market allowances will be extended beyond their current expiry date.
For pharmacists, radiographers, and nuclear medicine technologists, this means that come next year, you could face a $10,000 per annum wage cut.
If you’re a sonographer, that’s a 20% wage cut.
But those groups that aren’t the only professions struggling – this is why we need salaries to be uplifted across the board in line with market rates.
Unless things change drastically over the coming weeks, we need to start seriously talking about taking industrial action to secure an offer by December, which is when your next pay increase is due.
Please keep an eye out for further information shortly about mass member meetings in your area, and feel free to reach out to [email protected] or 1300 880 032 if you have any questions.