A prominent far north Queensland doctor has resigned after deciding not to sign the State Government’s revised individual contracts.
Unions representing senior doctors are conducting a plebiscite to test support for the new contracts, amended by the Government after months of tense negotiations.
However, a rural generalist at the Atherton Hospital, Dr Anthony Bloch, says he will be leaving at the end of June.
“Partly because on principle, my previous agreement has been torn up, so there’s no trust at all with my employer any more, partly because of the changes that the Government made to industrial relations law means that this law is now going to be applied to a lot of other people who might not be in a position to protest the way I am and partly because the way the contract was changed was an incredibly disrespectful process,” he said.
The contract replaces an enterprise bargaining agreement Dr Bloch says was not due to expire until mid next year.
However, he says he suspects most of his colleagues will sign the new deal, despite their reservations.
“We’re still left with a very flawed contract underpinned by a much reduced industrial relations safety net, so this contract is going to require constant vigilance on the part of the senior doctors and will take some energy away from their clinical work,” he said.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg says concession have been made by both sides.
“This is a significant relief for all parties who have been involved in this,” he said.
“I always knew that we would be able to resolve this and I always knew there was a real desire among doctors to resolve this as well.
“The patients of course in the community will be the winners in the short medium and long-term.
“What’s happened here is real emerging goodwill between the Government, the department and doctors representatives in the last few weeks.
“Given the issues which were of concern to doctors, as raised by their representatives, I and their representatives can see no reason why doctors should not feel confident in signing these individual contracts.”
Source: ABC