Update No.5 Q Health Table Their Interests: 3.25% is Still the Offer
27 | 07 |2008
Union representatives met with representatives from Queensland Health (QH) on Monday 21/7/2008 and Tuesday 22/7/2008 to continue negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement for wages and employment conditions (EB7). Also present was an advisor from the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations (DEIR) to provide advice to QH.
At these negotiations QH tabled their list of ‘Interests’ in response to the Union Log of Claims.
In this document QH stated their position that;
“Any further wage increase or increase to entitlements beyond 3.25% p.a. to be negotiated in return for workforce efficiencies, workforce improvements, and/or service delivery enhancements.”
The document goes on to identify areas where QH believe;
“Some workforce efficiencies, workforce improvements, and/or service delivery enhancements that Queensland Health has identified for discussion”
The areas identified for discussion by QH include:
- Addressing inflexibilities surrounding contracting out/in to ensure Queensland Health is consistent with the whole-of-government policy;
- Addressing barriers to effective management created by the replacement of existing staff provisions;
- Addressing inflexibilities surrounding changes to shift rosters, or the introduction of shift work, that prevent health services being delivered in an optimal and efficient way;
Most of the discussions focussed on the contracting out/in provisions of the certified agreement.
Unless there are special circumstances, the provisions of EB6 currently provide that before contracting out can occur, agreement must be reached with union members and their representatives at the Single Bargaining Unit.
The Whole of Government policy on contracting out requires no final agreement by union members and their representatives.
Union representatives made clear that members would not accept any weakening of contracting out provisions.
Union representatives also tabled a proposal to preclude the employer from contacting out in any new facilities and preclude the Government from using Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to contract out jobs. QH has undertaken to respond to this claim at the next negotiations.
It is clear that QH will be seeking to water down current provisions in the current collective agreement to provide them with more freedom to do what they want during the life of the next collective bargaining agreement (EB7).
If everyone is serious about getting a ‘real’ wage increase and protecting our current conditions we need to be strong on the ground and make sure that everyone is ready to send a clear message to Queensland Health when the time comes.gs.
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