Victorian paramedics take industrial action as they fight to reach new enterprise agreement

Paramedics in one Aussie state will stop billing patients as they take industrial action for better work-life balance.

Victorian paramedics will stop taking billing information from patients and undertaking hospital tasks as they launch industrial action following a dispute that has lasted more than a year.

Victorian Ambulance Union members last week voted in favour of protected industrial action as efforts to reach a new enterprise agreement with Ambulance Victoria and the state government entered its 13th month.

As part of the action launching on Monday, paramedics across the state plastered ambulances with campaign messages, highlighting their fight for a better work-life balance.

Victorian paramedics have taken industrial action as they fight for better work conditions Picture: X/Ambulance Union Victoria

Paramedics have written campaign messages on the windows of ambulances across the state. Picture: X/Ambulance Union Victoria

Paramedics will also take time out of their shifts to speak to the media about their ongoing fight for improved working conditions and better pay.

The VAU said the planned action would not affect patient care or public safety but rather aimed to put public pressure on Ambulance Victoria.

Union secretary Danny Hill said there was “nothing more” paramedics could do but take industrial action to improve working conditions.

“More than half the workforce have been in the job for less than five years and what we hear from the members is that the job just isn’t family friendly,” Mr Hill told NCA NewsWire.

“The job just doesn’t accommodate any sort of work-life balance at all … that’s when people leave and most people leave at about the five-year mark.”

Some of the best ones so far!!!#ambosdeservealifetoo#springstpic.twitter.com/Gk7bPcFbrl

— Victorian Ambulance Union (@VicAmboUnion) March 17, 2024

Mr Hill said an independent study conducted by RMIT and Swinburne universities found that one in five paramedics planned to leave their job within the next year, a statistic he said they wanted to “turn around”.

“They’re working hours of overtime, 800 hours of forced overtime every single day,” he said.

“Often it’s not because they’re attending emergencies, it’s because they’re ramped in hospital corridors or they might be on scene organising a GP appointment for a low acuity patient.

“It really leads to a lot of frustration.”

Paramedics will continue to campaign until a new enterprise agreement is reached. Picture: X/Ambulance Union Victoria

A Victoria government spokesperson said they expected Ambulance Victoria and the Victorian Ambulance Union to “continue to negotiate in good faith and reach a resolution as soon as possible”.

“We value the dedication and hard work that our paramedics do every day – they play a critical role in keeping Victorians healthy and safe, and we thank them for their service to the state,” the spokesperson said.

“Importantly, the safety of Victorians requiring emergency care will not be affected during this time.”

Ambulance Victoria chief executive Jane Miller said he respected paramedics’ right to take protected action and assured Victorians they would not be impacted.

“If Victorians have an emergency and you need an ambulance, you will get one, and patient safety will not be impacted,” Ms Miller said.

“AV continues to negotiate in good faith with employee representatives towards a mutually beneficial Ambulance Victoria Enterprise Agreement 2024.”

The strike follows recent industrial action taken by V/Line train staff and Victoria police officers in an effort to improve working conditions and increase pay.

Originally published as Victorian paramedics take industrial action as they fight to reach new enterprise agreement