Australian Paramedics Association begins industrial action over proposed 4 per cent wage rise

Paramedics in one state have labelled an offer to increase wages as “insultingly low,” with health workers initiating industrial action.

Thousands of paramedics in NSW will refuse to perform key tasks from Wednesday as a union prepares to take the state government to war over an “insultingly low” pay rise offer of 4 per cent.

Australian Paramedics Association (APA) members will begin industrial action from Wednesday, July 26, to the start of the first shift on August 2.

Union members will not electronically record patient billing details, or KPIs, and refuse to attend special events on duty if it would result in their stations hitting minimum staffing levels.

Additional 24-hour action will also occur from the start of the first shift on July 31 to August 1 in which APA paramedics will refuse to respond to non-emergency patient transfer jobs.

Instead, the jobs will need to be completed by patient transport officers and private providers.

NSW APA members have vowed to refuse a range of tasks in industrial action over the government’s wages policy. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer

APA NSW secretary Alan O’Riordan said wages that were below what was offered in other states and territories had resulted in a “mass exodus of great clinicians”.

“Paramedics are sick and tired of being told how critical we are to the community, only to be left behind when it comes to paying us a fair wage,” Mr O’Riordan said.

“After winning an election on the back of promises to properly pay essential workers, we can’t believe the Minns government thinks we’re only worth that much.”

The industrial action is over the NSW government’s proposed 4 per cent increase to public sector wages, which the union described as “insultingly low”.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the government had made “a lot of progress” in relation to the negotiations despite patches of “industrial disharmony”.

“We’ve been able to demonstrate over the last three months that we can make progress when it comes to industrial disputes in NSW while getting rid of the wages cap,” he said.

Paramedics will continue industrial action for a week from Wednesday, July 26. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Damian Shaw

NSW Health Minister NSW Ryan Park said while “industrial action is always difficult”, measures had been put in place to ensure the health system functioned with minimal interruptions.

“I’ve already spoken to NSW Health and I can assure the community that we will have measures in place to ensure that patients are responded to and that patients who need paramedic help and support get the treatment they need and deserve,” he said.

Opposition health spokesman Matt Kean said while he didn’t support the APA’s industrial action, he accused the government of breaking election promises made to paramedics.

“What we’re seeing is the chickens coming home to roost. Chris Minns promised paramedics huge public sector pay increases that he clearly had no intention of delivering on,” he said.

The Health Services Union (HSU) has also been vocal in its objections over the proposed 4 per cent pay increase.

After threatening escalating industrial action in early July, the powerful union paused plans after the state government responded with a pay offer that the union is “actively considering”.

On Wednesday, NSW secretary Gerard Hayes said the union would be “landing on a position at the end of this week”.

The government’s revised offer includes a flat $3500 increase to pay rates, plus a 0.5 per cent boost to superannuation, and a commitment to begin award reform and increase salary packaging benefits from 50 per cent to 60 per cent.

As it stands, the Public Service Association is the only union that has accepted the 4 per cent pay bump, plus 0.5 per cent increase to superannuation.

The union said it was the biggest pay rise for members in 20 years, with pay backdated to the first pay period after July 1.

Originally published as Australian Paramedics Association begins industrial action over proposed 4 per cent wage rise