The Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott has announced that, if re-elected, the Howard Government would hand the running of Australia’s 750 public hospitals over to local community boards. He indicated that if the State Government did not agree, the federal Government would cut their funding to public hospitals. The Boards would receive funding from both State and Federal Government but neither government would be responsible for running the hospital or accountable for its outcomes. This would see the end of the public health system, with each hospital effectively in competition with each other.

Workers to be Forced onto AWAs

One of the most significant impacts on health workers will be their removal from the Public Sector.  Each hospital CEO would then have the power to “hire and fire” without reference to Victorian government policy. Workers would be employed by the individual hospital on whatever employment arrangement the CEO or Board chose.  You can be sure the Federal Government will reward hospitals who shift workers onto AWAs – after all, recent research has shown that workers on AWAs are on average $100 per week worse off than similar workers on collective agreements, largely through the loss of shift allowances and penalty rates. But pay is not the only thing that workers on AWAs lose (although that is bad enough) – AWAs also strip away workers’ rights to consultation over change, and to redundancy pay.

What can you do?

Become involved in the “Your Rights @ Work” Campaign – it’s not too late! Help elect a Government that respects worker’s rights! Give a hand to letterbox, door knock, staff polling booths on election day. Talk to your colleagues about “Your Rights @ Work” Your Rights at Work 

Let’s ask ourselves…. 

Do we want to be part of the first generation that hands a lesser set of employment conditions to our children than those we have inherited from our parents?

DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK

Vote Howard and Abbott out