Healthcare workers will walk off the job today (Tuesday), c1ausing mass disruption across the public health system, because of the Victorian Government’s failure to strike a deal.
More than 10,000 workers from more than 80 healthcare services — including all of Melbourne’s major public hospitals — will take part in the strike.
Participating workers include cooks, cleaners, orderlies, theatre technicians and phlebotomists (who take patient blood samples).
The protected industrial action will force the cancellation or postponement of thousands of surgeries and procedures, and will likely exacerbate wait times for care.
“Jacinta Allan’s failure to offer healthcare workers a fair, liveable wage deal has made this industrial action unavoidable,” HWU Leader Organiser Jake McGuinness.
Tuesday’s strike is the latest escalation in a long-running dispute over pay and workloads (see full timeline below).
Also included below are workforce voting rates, showing overwhelming support for industrial action across individual health services.
What’s happening Tuesday
- Healthcare worker statewide strike.
- This strike is in addition to ongoing work bans, which will remain in place until February 1st
- Workers to assemble outside Trades Hall late morning and then march to the Premier’s office (1 Treasury Place)
- 12:30pm – speeches and media conference outside 1 Treasury Place.
- Workers will be making a public appeal for assistance to find Victoria’s Missing Minister for Health.
Quotes, attributable to HWU Lead Organiser Jake McGuinness:
“Healthcare workers don’t want to be on strike, but the government has left them little choice.”
“Workers deserve a fair and liveable pay deal, not a salary cut.”
“Today’s chaos is unfortunately necessary for healthcare workers to secure a pay deal that keeps their heads above water.”
Jake McGuinness is available for interview today or tomorrow morning.
Media contact: Ryan Sheales, 0402 351 412