After many months of negotiations with the VHIA and Department of Health, it appears as though the Clause 11 Public Sector Classification Review is drawing to a close.

Senior Industrial Coordinator Alex Leszczynski presented delegates with details of the negotiated package last Friday at the Delegates Conference. The forum was opened up for discussion and after robust debate the delegates voted to endorse the package.

The VHIA have likewise been seeking endorsement from their members. Assuming this is forthcoming, the package will be signed off this week—barring any significant last minute hiccups.

Of course the package itself is only part of the picture—the negotiations have been complicated, as members are very well aware, by the demerger of HSU East.

We have been given assurances by the Department that the operative date for the package is 19 March 2014.

However in discussions with the VHIA yesterday we were told that the increases would not roll out until the Agreement itself is varied; not only is this at odds with what was previously discussed but it will require a successful vote of both Branch 3 and Branch 1 members.

Once the Agreement is varied members will receive a lump sum payment for the period between that date and the first full pay period on or after 19 March 2014.

While the news is good we hold some real concerns about the roll out of this package.

”We have waited far too long for this to go through,” noted Branch Secretary Craig McGregor. “Any further unnecessary delays are entirely unacceptable. We do not want to go to war with Premier Napthine on the issue of healthcare but let me be clear, we are ready and willing to go down that path should we be forced to.”

Members can expect an update early next week.