Labor has promised a $3000 bonus and 6 per cent pay rise to paramedicsĀ if it wins office at next month’s election – matching a pay offer from the government – but is pledging to alsoĀ meet union demands on working conditions to resolve a bitter two-year industrial dispute.
The offer, to be announced at Labor’s campaign launch on Sunday, attempts to capitalise on the government’s failure to strike a deal with paramedics, who are campaigning in marginal seats ahead of the election.
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Health Minister David Davis has described the government’s offer – a $3000 sign-on bonus and pay rises of 6, 3 and 3 per cent over the next three years – as generous, and accused “the hardline, left-wing ambulance union leadership” of denying its members the pay rise they want “for political ends”.
Ambulance Employees Association state secretary Steve McGhie said the Labor offer would resolve outstanding issues and pave the way for a deal, ending discord that has led to paramedics implementing work bans and write campaign slogans on ambulances.
Labor is trying to capitalise on the governmentās failure to strike a wage deal with paramedics.Ā Photo: Angela Wylie
Mr McGhie said the Labor offer would not require paramedics to fill vacancies across the state against their wishes and would retain clauses allowing union delegates to attend meetings on paid time, including to support colleagues in disciplinary hearings with management.
Labor will also promiseĀ to establish a ministerial committee including government, Ambulance Victoria and union representatives to develop policies aimed at improving problems facing the ambulance service, including response times, call-taking and dispatch, and managing growth in demand.
Opposition health spokesman Gavin Jennings said Labor expected to sign an agreement with paramedics by the end of the year.
He said it would be an interim agreement,Ā in place while Labor referred the paramedics’ pay claim to the Fair Work Commission for consent arbitration, which could take six months.
Mr Jennings said arbitration would likely bring Victorian wages into line with other states, where paramedics were paid more.
He said Labor would guarantee the government pay offer for 2014, 2015 and 2016 as a minimum, even if arbitration delivered a lesser outcome, which he considered unlikely.
Mr Jennings and opposition leader Daniel Andrews have detailed their offer in a letter to Mr McGhie.
“This is a very significant offer that demonstrates good will to paramedics and thanks them for the important work they do on behalf of the Victorian community every day,” Mr Jennings said.
Mr McGhie said the government could have brought the dispute to an end a long time ago, but had chosen to pursue workplace changes that were unacceptable to paramedics.
“It’s nothing to do with the election, it just happens this has gone on for two years and four months and now we’re butting up against it,” he said.