The cancellation of surgeries and other medical services will go ahead on Tuesday after the state government and health service workers failed to reach agreement over a pay increase.
HSUWA confirmed on Monday afternoon more than 500 workers at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital were expected to hold the first of a series of 12-hour rolling stopwork actions, the workers’ first industrial action in 13 years.
Elective surgery, diagnostic tests and treatments, as well as outpatient appointments, will be cancelled and rescheduled. Patient discharges are likely to be delayed.
The industrial action was announced last week after HSUWA members rejected a 2.75 per cent pay rise offered by the government.
The offer was rejected after the government awarded a 4 per cent pay increase to doctors, nurses and hospital support staff and 3.8 per cent rise to politicians.
HSUWA Secretary Dan Hill said health workers were angry the government had refused to budge from its initial offer.
“Our members feel completely devalued by this government and Health Minister Dr Kim Hames in particular,” he said.
“All these workers are Health Department employees, and should be treated equitably. For an employer to provide some of its employees a decent wage rise and not others is divisive and creates tension in the health system.”
A spokeswoman for the Health Minister said last week the dispute was an industrial issue and came under the responsibility of Commerce Minister Michael Mischin, not Dr Hames.
Mr Hill said Tuesday’s industrial action would affect services including cancer treatment, cardiology, pharmacy, radiology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, diet therapy, social work, pathology, nuclear medicine, medical physics, engineering, maintenance and medical records.
Emergency services would not be affected during the stoppages and work essential for patient safety would also be maintained.
Industrial action will continue at Royal Perth Hospital on Thursday.