State Government in talks with unions to finalise pandemic leave arrangements
Promised pandemic leave for Queensland’s health workers has yet to be locked down with the State Government still in talks with the relevant unions.
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The State Government is yet to finalise pandemic leave arrangements for health workers after teachers and police were granted extra time off.
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles today said discussions were still ongoing with relevant unions.
“I’ve been meeting with those unions and discussing what the options are, it’s a different proposition to the other workforce segments that have already finalised those kinds of arrangements,” he said.
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“But clearly we appreciate our health workforce.
“They have done amazing things this year and we’ll do whatever we can to recognise support and thank them.”
Teachers and police were recently granted extra holidays in a bid to placate anger over the Government’s legislated wage freeze deferral for public servants, which came into effect on July 1.
Mr Miles said he hoped the leave arrangements for health workers would be in place by the end of the year.
“I would hope so but that’s, as I say, subject to the arrangements that we finalise,” he said.
“Hospitals aren’t like schools, we can’t just close them for two days and so we need to work through what arrangements might work in a hospital context.”
Originally published as State Government in talks with unions to finalise pandemic leave arrangements