SA allied health workers win 13.5 per cent wage rise over four years in new pay and conditions deal

Allied health workers have won a hefty pay rise and a boost to workplace conditions in the first stand-alone enterprise deal to cover workers including physios and psychologists.

Public sector allied health workers have won a landmark pay deal of 13.5 per cent over four years – settling one health sector agreement while negotiations continue on others.

The agreement is the state’s first stand-alone enterprise agreement for workers including psychologists, physiotherapists, radiographers and pharmacists, who voted overwhelmingly to accept the offer. The Health Services Union initial pay claim was for 25 per cent but officials say the deal is “fair and reasonable.”

As well as a pay rise above inflation – comprising annual increases of 4 per cent backdated to May, then 3.5 per cent, 3.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent – the deal includes improvements such as:

BETTER access to professional development allowances;

A NEW allowance to recognise the significant qualifications and experience of public sector psychologists;

REGIONAL incentive payments to encourage workers to provide services outside Adelaide;

IMPROVED access to paid parental leave;

EASIER access to an additional week of annual leave for workers rostered to work over seven days.

The deal also provides efficiency improvements for public health services, including the ability to implement rosters across every day of the week – recognising hospitals operate 24/7 and need to be staffed to meet patient demand.

More than 70 per cent of eligible employees took part in the ballot, which was endorsed by more than 80 per cent.

The agreement will cover more than 8000 workers across the public sector including psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, radiographers and medical imaging specialists, podiatrists, radiation therapists, and social workers.

The deal comes as the government continues to negotiate new enterprise agreements for doctors, nurses, ambulance employees and other public sector workers.

Industrial Relations Minister Kyam Maher was involved in brokering the deal. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Industrial Relations Minister Kyam Maher said: “We have been able to land a fair deal that delivers real wage rises and improvements to conditions for workers, while being responsible with the budget so we can continue to invest in services for the South Australian community.

“The wage increase achieved under this agreement is more than double the wage rise the same group of workers received in the previous agreement negotiated between the former Liberal government and public sector unions in 2021.”

Health Minister Chris Picton. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Health Minister Chris Picton said the agreement recognised the vital work of allied health workers.

“We are proud to deliver this real wage rise and improved conditions for our valued workers who do so much to care for the South Australian community,” he said.

While the 13.5 per cent rise was well below the initial 25 per cent claim, Health Services Union state secretary Billy Elrick said it was “a fair and reasonable agreement.”

Noting workers had been “underdone” in past deals, he said: “This agreement provides the single biggest wage increase for allied health workers seen in nearly 20 years.”

He declined to say whether public sector doctors should also modify their wage claim.