The Government has given the nurses a wage increase of an immediate average 3.36%, followed by four annual increases of 3.25%, commencing on 1/10/07.

However despite months of effort, DHS has steadfastly refused to offer the same increase to us. We have been offered only annual increases of 3.25% without the initial “uplift” rate. (Even then .75 of this increase will have to be funded by health services themselves). At the top of Medical Scientist Grade 1 this would mean an immediate loss of $36.00 pw prior to annual adjustments. At the top of Grade 4 the loss would be $59.00 pw. The reason given is that it can not find a way to make us pay for the increase ourselves through “productivity” trade-offs because we are already operating at peak capacity. Further, the Department will not agree to match the retrospective date of 1/10/07 for the first annual increase. It says that Government policy is to only provide prospective increases. This “policy" was however hastily abandoned in the case of the nurses when they commenced a campaign of industrial action!

To add insult to injury, the Government refuses to negotiate any of our claims for making long-overdue upgrades to the career structures for medical scientists, dietitians, psychologists, pharmacists and audiologists.

A ballot will be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission of members employed at 8 major health services to determine whether members wish to start a campaign of industrial action. Those eight services are Melbourne Health, St. Vincent's Health, Austin Health, Southern Health, Bayside Health, Bendigo Health, Eastern Health, and Goulburn Valley Health. The ballot will open on 17 December 2007and close on 15 January 2008. It will not succeed unless more than 50% of members eligible to vote, do actually vote “Yes” within the given time frame.

IT IS THEREFORE VITAL THAT ALL MEMBERS VOTE "YES" AND POST THEIR VOTES BACK TO THE AEC UPON RECEIPT.