Thousands of health workers walk off the job over pay dispute with NSW government

Hundreds of well being staff have walked off the job as they name for a pay rise in an ongoing dispute with the New South Wales authorities.

The strike is designed to place strain on the federal government earlier than a conciliation listening to on the Industrial Relations Fee subsequent week.

Underneath the state’s wages cap, public sector pay will increase can't legally exceed 2.5%. The Well being Providers Union mentioned this was not sufficient as inflation is working at 3.5%.

The union is campaigning for a 5.5% improve “to account for the affect of the pandemic and the surging value of residing”.

Tons of of ambulance employees, safety guards, cleaners, paramedics and different hospital staff packed Trades Corridor in central Sydney on Thursday.

Paramedic Tess Oxley advised her colleagues that “2.5% isn’t going to pay our payments”.

The Nepean hospital’s chief radiographer, Andrew Teece, advised the gang that the price of residing had been “skyrocketing”.

“This authorities bluntly refuses a pay improve … to satisfy our family payments,” Teece mentioned.

“We wish higher pay to assist ourselves and our households.”

A spokesperson for the well being minister, Brad Hazzard, mentioned the federal government was negotiating with the union in good religion.

“We’d all desire no strikes however we'll proceed to work with the organisations that symbolize our unimaginable 140,000 employees who make up the most important authorities well being company within the nation,” the spokesperson mentioned.

The deliberate industrial motion contains stopping work for 4 hours at main metropolitan hospitals, and two hours at regional hospitals.

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The premier, Dominic Perrottet, mentioned his authorities had accomplished sufficient to assuage the monetary strains going through well being staff.

“The NSW authorities has led the best way relating to wage will increase throughout the nation and this has been misplaced within the debate,” he mentioned.

“A 2.5% pay improve yearly over this time period has far exceeded personal sector wage development. That’s a truth.”

Well being staff mentioned they haven't been financially recognised for his or her efforts as frontline employees on the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We’re those who turned as much as work and didn’t work from the security of our personal properties,” mentioned Alana Fernandez, a affected person transport employee from Prestons.

“We’re those who stored Covid out of hospitals.”

The strike follows related actions by paramedics and nurses final week.