Ambos bring in work bans as pay rise fight continues with Tasmanian Government

UPDATED: AMBULANCE Tasmania staff have joined teachers and nurses in taking industrial action against the Government’s offer of 2 per cent annual pay increases.

AMBULANCE Tasmania staff have joined teachers and nurses in taking industrial action against the Government’s offer of 2 per cent annual pay increases.

Paramedics and communications staff on Monday announced they would work to rule, claim all allowances, take their breaks and refuse to accept rostered overtime, conceding there could be an impact on the lower-priority ambulance services available to Tasmanians.

Emergency services would be unaffected, the Health and Community Services Union said.

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When the biggest employer in the state says that wages should be capped at 2% every other employer listens and regardless of how well they are doing or how hard their employees work – 2% is all they get.#TassieNeedsAPayRise #ChangeTheRules #Politas pic.twitter.com/WYYG4eOPnu

— CPSU Tas (@CPSUTas) October 24, 2018

HACSU state secretary Tim Jacobson said staff wanted a “reasonable” pay rise but would not be drawn on how much the union was seeking.

“We’re now somewhere around a national average of $10,000 a year behind other states and territories,” Mr Jacobson said.

“A take it or leave it 2 per cent position — which the Government has been spouting now for some six months — is not bargaining in good faith.”

Paramedic Lauren Hepher said staff were working upwards of 14-hour shifts without breaks to keep up with demand and said under-resourcing was affecting ambulance wait times.

“Without being a scaremonger, there are absolutely days that the community should be worried about the ambulance service’s ability to respond to them, absolutely,” she said.

Ambulances line up at the Royal Hobart Hospital Emergency Department entrance. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

An Ambulance Tasmania spokesman said the state should have confidence in the care provided by paramedics and ambulance officers.

“While we recognise industrial action is being taken, we expect Ambulance Tasmania staff to continue to fulfil their duties to ensure the safety of the Tasmanian community,” he said.

He also warned against the union’s plans to chalk pay-related slogans on ambulances.

“The State Government expects staff to respect the fact that ambulances are owned by the people of Tasmania, and should not be defaced or used to portray information that is not consistent with their role as emergency vehicles.”

The Government contracted cleaners to remove chalk from ambulances throughout 2016.

CLEANERS HIRED TO ERASE ANTI-GOVERNMENT SLOGANS

Paramedics wrote messages on ambulances to express their discontent with previous pay offers. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Treasurer Peter Gutwein indicated the Government would not budge on its public service pay offer.

“In terms of the wage negotiations we’re offering 6 per cent over three years,” he said.

“We believe it’s responsible, sensible and, importantly, an affordable offer.”