Protected Industrial Action Ballot

FWA has approved a ballot of MSAV/VPA/AHP members at the following health services, seeking consent to a range of industrial actions, from bans and limitations through to stoppages of work:

Alfred Health

Austin Health

Barwon Health

Eastern Health

Goulburn Valley Health

Latrobe Regional Health

Melbourne Health

Mercy Public Hospitals Inc

Northern Health

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Royal Children’s Hospital

Southern Health

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Pty Ltd

Western Health

Members employed at these health services will be asked to vote in favour of a ‘menu’ of actions which might be taken in support of reaching agreement for a new public sector enterprise agreement.

The VHIA representative at FWA observed that our members do not take industrial action lightly. This is true. Negotiations have been taking place since January this year with no progress to date. It seems that the only language that the employers and the government understand is industrial action.

Then two weeks ago we received a log of claims from the public health employers which amounts to an all out attack on your terms and conditions of employment. Details are available here.

It is important to send a strong message to the employers that members do not accept the health services’ agenda to take away higher qualifications allowances for dietitians, audiologists, psychologists and medical physicists; to restrict access to HQAs by other members; to take away access to arbitration of disputes which may arise under the Agreement; to take away the named Principal Scientists positions; to take away the medical scientists’ merit review process, and more – all designed to reduce your rights – not to mention cut take home pay.

The Protected Action Ballot will be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission. We expect ballot papers to go out to members next week.

The ballot will close no later than 18 May 2012.

It is important that all members vote, and vote YES. It is a requirement of the legislation that more than 50% of members at each worksite vote in favour of the ballot question to enable protected industrial action to be taken.

Make sure you return your ballot papers with a YES vote – do not simply rely on other members to vote.

Protected Action Ballot; Employer Claims Deconstructed

The list of possible industrial action has been further refined following the meetings of job reps and members last week.

We have added bans on paid overtime, and bans on training of other staff including Registrars, to the list of bans.

The response from members to the employer log of claims has been universal condemnation for the clear attempt at cost-cutting by the removal of longstanding entitlements.

A copy of the employer log of claims can be found on the website at Documents -> Campaigns -> Public Sector 2012 (login)

We have also prepared a summary of the log of claims in relation to the effects on each separate discipline – i.e. audiologists, clinical perfusionists, dietitians, genetic counsellors, medical scientists, pharmacists, psychologists & physicists.

The summary can be accessed at Documents -> Campaigns -> Public Sector 2012 (login)

Given the failure of the health services (represented by the VHIA) to make any reasonable offers in negotiations, and faced with the prospect of the employers pushing their negative agenda, we will be proceeding with the application for a Protected Action Ballot.

This will allow members to vote for a range of bans, limitations and industrial action which can be implemented in order to protect current entitlements, and to put pressure on the employers to make an acceptable offer on wages and enhanced conditions of employment.

The application for a Protected Action Ballot of members employed by the following employers will be lodged tomorrow by the Union:

Alfred Health
Austin Health
Barwon Health
Eastern Health
Goulbourn Valley Health
Latrobe Regional Health
Melbourne Health
Mercy Public Hospitals Inc
Northern Health
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Royal Children’s Hospital
Southern Health
St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Pty Ltd
Western Health

The list of proposed industrial actions can be found at Documents -> Campaigns -> Public Sector 2012 (login)

The Ballot will be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission.

Members meetings will be held after the Ballot to determine which particular type of industrial action will be implemented and in what timeframe.

Meanwhile, further meetings of members will be held prior to the ballot closing to discuss options.