We are currently locked in negotiations with the VHIA and the Department of Health over the restructuring of several of the classifications in our Collective Agreement. These negotiations are being mediated by Fair Work Australia. They arise from clause 31 of the Agreement which provides that the following classifications shall be reviewed over the life of the Agreement: dietitians, audiologists, quality, IT officers, clinical trial co-ordinators, medical scientists, pharmacists, psychologists and perfusionists.

We are very close to agreement on new classification structures for hospital pharmacists, the main outstanding matter being the grouping criteria for hospital pharmacies.

We have made substantial progress on new classifications for medical scientists including new definitions for IT, quality officers and clinical trials co-ordinators. There are however still significant differences between the parties over the number and location of Principal Scientist positions, classification of scientists in blood banks, managers of neuro-science, sleep and respiratory laboratories and managers of smaller pathology laboratories.