Our repeated requests for a meeting with the Govt. and VHIA to progress our EB claims have been ignored. The VHIA is apparently “too busy” to return our calls. The last meeting of the parties was 1 October 2007. Because the Govt. has refused to agree to an operative date of 1 October 2007 for commencement of the next Agreement, every day of delay potentially transfers money from your pocket to theirs.

We have written to the VHIA, calling for a meeting to be held next week. Should the stalling continue, the Act allows us to apply to the Commission for a secret ballot to allow members to decide whether to commence a campaign of industrial action.

Members meetings are currently being held in a number of major work sites to report on the negotiations. The meeting schedule is as follows:

St. Vincent’s Health Care	13/11/07; 12.30pm
The Alfred	21/11/07; 12.30pm
RMH	21/11/07; 1.00pm
Southern Health	23/11/07; 12.30pm
Austin Health	26/11/07; 1.00pm & 1.45pm
ARCBS	27/11/07; 12.30pm
Bendigo Health Care	30/11/07; 12.30pm