Ambulance Victoria wage dispute escalations would overrun emergency departments

Hospital emergency departments would be overrun as part of proposed escalation of industrial action by paramedics.

Emergency departments would be overrun and Ambulance Victoria’s internal operations grind to a halt as part of proposed escalation of industrial action by paramedics.

Victoria’s 5600 unionised Ambulance Victoria employees will vote in coming weeks to approve the expanded action in a pay dispute that has been running since March 18.

The battle is one of many being fought by the Allan government, which remains locked in disputes with police and firefighters.

The state’s nurses have also threatened to intensify strike action this week, shutting up to a quarter of public hospital beds and cancelling planned surgeries, unless the government offers a better pay deal.

Ambulance communications, clinical support, triage services, rostering and air operations would all be subject to 75 proposed new actions, with employees switching to manual processes and withholding data as part of the proposed escalation.

Hospital emergency departments would be overrun if proposed industrial action intensifies. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Staff would be banned from organising taxis or Ubers for patient transport, prohibit communications staff moving ambulances to other locations for resourcing purposes and stop the double loading of non-emergency patients.

Paramedics would also be banned from initiating Virtual Emergency Department consultations which health insiders said would cause a surge in presentations to emergency departments.

The training of new staff and elite MICA paramedics would also be halted.

On Monday, the Allan government failed to give any assurances that the long-awaited pay deals with frontline health workers would be reached in time to stop major industrial action.

Health Minister Mary-Anne on Monday was pressed on whether a resolution with the nurses union had been reached — just one day out from deadline.

But Ms Thomas was unable to provide any updates to the months-long negotiations, except to say they were “continuing”.

Asked if she was comfortable with a quarter of public hospital beds being shut as part of the proposed industrial action, Ms Thomas said her team were “working hard” to make sure that didn’t happen.

“Obviously I don’t want to see that,” she said.

“I want to see a resolution to the outstanding items for the Enterprise Agreement.”

Despite the threats, Ms Thomas denied that public safety would be put at risk if the nurses do go ahead with their planned action.

“Our nurses will undertake action in such a way that does not impact on patient safety talks happening today,” she said.

Victoria’s 5600 unionised Ambulance Victoria members will vote on a new pay deal in the coming weeks. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

The Health Minister said the Ambulance Union had also made commitments that patient safety would not be put at risk.

“It is certainly my expectation and indeed we have commitments that patient safety will not be impacted as a result of any of the actions that are currently enforced or proposed by the union,” she said.

She said “good faith” negotiations were continuing.

“In both cases, we have mediators who are working with the unions and the employers to ensure that we can reach a timely outcome to resolve these negotiations,” she said.

Ambulance Victoria CEO Jane Miller assured Victorians that if someone “needs an emergency ambulance, they will continue to receive emergency ambulance during this time”.

“Obviously there’s been protected action in place for the last several weeks.

“I … acknowledge their right to take protected action at this time and we are working to ensure that there is no impact to patient care and patient safety.”

Ms Thomas and Ms Miller made the comments during a visit to a Priority Primary Care Centres (PPCC) in Moonee Ponds on Monday to spruik the government’s $146 million investment to boost alternative care pathways to take pressure off emergency departments.

The threat of increased action comes amid a stalemate in negotiations that have been ongoing for 15 months.

The Victorian Ambulance Union has been fighting for a better pay deal, improved end of shift management provisions so paramedics can finish shifts on time and have better rural resourcing.

They also want shorter night shifts and improved staffing levels to manage resourcing, meal breaks, and crew welfare.

They have accused Ambulance Victoria and the government of attempting to wind back sick leave, overtime and travel allowance entitlements.

The union has rejected an offer of a 3 per cent salary increase and a $1800 lump sum payment at the end of each year of the agreement in a move backed by more than 85 per cent of members.

Just 3 per cent of members voted to accept the offer while 10.2 per cent were undecided.

Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said no actions would risk public safety or stop ambulances being sent to emergencies.

“There are over a thousand community officers who give up their time to provide emergency coverage in rural communities,” he said.

“They have never received any payment for making themselves available. They have been exploited for way too long. Labor boasts its credentials on supporting ambos. ... They need to put their money where their mouth is.”

Mr Hill said the action would target the “enormous amount of additional administrative work placed on paramedics and being used as a stop gap for a failing health system”. The government recently settled a dispute with its 56,000 public sector workers, while an in-principle deal has been struck between V/Line and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.