QHealth Members

Once again negotiations for a new collective union agreement have been frustrated by Queensland Health’s (QH) refusal to provide any response to the Log of Claims developed by AWU members across Queensland. It is apparent that QH are not prepared to bargain in good faith. Both QH and the Department of Industrial Relation’s (DIR) negotiators are endeavouring to frustrate the AWU’s quest for a “fair go” for the operational stream.

However, as a result of pressure from the AWU, QH are to table a further offer to the AWU by Thursday of next week. The AWU is not confident that this new offer will meet the needs of the membership of the AWU

AWU representatives on behalf of members sent a request to QH on Friday 22/8/08 asking for a response to every claim on the Log.

The response from QH regarding this request is outlined below:

“Queensland Health believes this request is not possible (at least currently). This is due to the following reasons:

1. The negotiations have not advanced to the point where all claims have been negotiated with an exploration of interests and issues. However, as agreed at the last negotiations meeting, Queensland Health has provided a priority list of issues for discussion. This was sent to all EB7 negotiation members on Tuesday but please see attached again FYI.
2. Queensland Health has made an offer of 3.25% with any monetary increase beyond that in return for service delivery enhancements, workforce improvements and efficiencies. For Queensland Health to make a definitive response to a monetary claim there must be identification of what service delivery enhancements, etc can be agreed too.

It has become apparent that the QH negotiators have no understanding of how the current agreement operates or how hard operational staff work or how essential the work of operational staff is in the Queensland Health system.

At the negotiation meeting held on Monday 25/08/08 a further request was made for a response to every item on the AWU Log of Claims. This response has still not been received.

The only response that AWU members have at the moment is the list of “interests” tabled early on in negotiations.

When requested to provide a dollar figure on how much extra workers would receive if they agreed to trade off conditions, the lead negotiators for QH and DIR informed the union representatives that no calculation had been made, or according to them, could be made on this.

The Queensland Health Offer as it stands is:

• 3.25% wage increase (No flat dollar amount)

For Queensland Health to offer a higher percentage Queensland Health want AWU members to agree to:

• Weaken the current protections that exist against contracting out
• Delete the current clause in the agreement that requires vacancies to be filled in 1 month for base grade employees and 3 months for other than base grade employees
• For all workers to give up their right to have a say regarding changes to rosters or the introduction of shift work.

If you do not accept the offer, you are asked to sign the petition currently circulating opposing the current offer. If members reject the QH offer, we all need to be ready to act together and stand together after the 8th of September unless a satisfactory offer is made.

If you want to more involved in the campaign CLICK HERE.

Downloads, links and resources

1. PDF copy of this update
2. Our Log of Claims