Poised to show the state government we mean business.
Victorian allied health professionals, outraged at the lack of respect shown by the Allan government and Victorian public health services, have turned that anger into action by voting to take protected industrial action.
More than 8 months of bargaining
After more than 8 months of bargaining, the Allan government has still not provided a wages offer. Allied health professionals feel they are the invisible health workforce – ignored and disrespected. That is all about to change.
This week, members of the Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA) returned ballots endorsing protected industrial action, with an overwhelming ‘YES’ vote.
Overwhelming YES Votes to take Protected Industrial Action
An average of 92.87% of members across 43 health services voted, with 98.73% supporting action. Fifteen health services recorded 100% turnout and 100% ‘YES’ votes.
Allied health professionals have sent a resounding message to Victorian public health services and the Allan government that they mean business.
It has been nearly 10 years since allied health professionals marched in Melbourne demanding better pay and career structure reform. Since then, they have faced a decade of wage restraint, austerity, rising demand for their services, escalating workloads, the pressures of frontline pandemic work, and now workforce shortages with serious attraction and retention issues.
With negotiations stalled, allied health professionals have overwhelmingly voted to take protected industrial action to advance their claims for better pay, conditions, and respect.
VAHPA will lodge notices with the 43 affected health services this week, with protected industrial action set to begin next week and further action to follow. Victorian public health services and the Allan government will see the importance of allied health professionals when action begins.
Quotes attributable to Andrew Hewat, VAHPA Executive Officer:
“Allied health professionals are the engine room of our public hospitals. They test, treat, scan, diagnose, rehabilitate, and discharge patients. In fact, it would be rare for a patient to pass through the hospital system without multiple interactions with allied health professionals. Yet, allied health professionals are the largely forgotten workforce. The Allan government has so far offered nothing to address the critical workforce shortages, the dangerous workload pressures, the serious attraction and retention issues, or deal with addressing the years of gender undervaluation that have eroded real wages.”
“Allied health professionals are outraged at the lack of respect being shown by the Allan government. Allied health professionals across the public sector are primed to start protected industrial action and the Victorian government’s lack of a wages offer demonstrates a lack of regard for them that is fuelling their fight for respect, recognition and better pay and conditions.”
“The massive turnout of members voting to start protected industrial action highlights the anger brewing and the readiness of allied health professionals to make a statement. It has been a long time since allied health professionals took protected industrial action, but they are at breaking point, and they need to see a wages offer from the Allan government that reflects their worth and addresses the serious undervaluation of their work.”
Media contact: Andrew Hewat, 0427 673 205