Ambulance Victoria strikes deal with paramedics after long-running industrial dispute

Ambulance Victoria and the state’s paramedics have struck an in-principle agreement after a long-running industrial dispute.

Most paramedics would get a pay rise of almost 17 per cent over four years, while “experienced paramedics” get 20 per cent over the same period, according to a Victorian Ambulance Union statement.

MICA paramedics would receive an extra $12,500 “relativity uplift”, leading to overall wage increases of up to 33 per cent.

To combat excessive forced overtime, a new clause will stop paramedics being contacted after their shift unless there is a confirmed, life-threatening emergency. They also will not be sent to lower-acuity cases in the last hour of a shift.

In an email to staff, Ambulance Victoria acting chief executive Danielle North said employees would still need to vote to approve the offer, but added: “It represents what we believe is the best possible outcome to transform AV into an improved, fit-for-purpose and financially sustainable organisation.”

Victoria’s ambulance service has been in turmoil over recent months as stretched paramedics complained of burnout, excessive involuntary overtime and a toxic workplace culture. The union passed a vote of no-confidence in Ambulance Victoria management in July.

Ambulance Victoria’s new wage deal with paramedics

• Wage increases ranging from 16.98% to 33% over four years including:

  • 16.98% (compounded) for most positions.

  • More than 20% (compounded) for experienced paramedics.

  • Additional $12,500 relativity uplift for MICA paramedics delivering overall increases of up to 33%

• New $5 per hour availability allowance for rural Ambulance Community Officers who volunteer their time in their home town to provide a response in remote areas.
• Improvements to Clinical Instructor allowances.
• Improvements to Unsociable Shift allowances.
• Improvements to On-call allowances.
• Improved Reserve/Flexibility allowances and Travel allowances.
• To reduce being forced to work overtime at the end of shift:
  • Paramedics will not be sent to lower-acuity cases in the last hour of shift.
  • Paramedics will be taken out of service at the end of their shift and will only be contacted for confirmed life-threatening emergencies.
  • 84 additional communications staff to assist with end-of-shift management and supporting crews on road.
• More than 80 other improvements to conditions of employment including access to single days off, improved meal break provisions, improvements to health and safety, the right to disconnect, better allocation to rural branches, assisted-reproductive treatment leave, organ and bone marrow donation leave.

Source: Victorian Ambulance Union

Last month, Ambulance Victoria chief executive Jane Miller resigned after just 18 months in the job. Former emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp was appointed interim chief executive, but he took a pre-booked seven-week holiday from August 29.

On Monday night, acting chief executive North publicly confirmed the new in-principle enterprise agreement in a joint statement with union secretary Danny Hill and United Workers Union representative Fiona Scalon.

“The settlement offer – which will be shared with employees and members tomorrow – follows careful consideration of 800-plus submitted claims, where we heard directly from you about your experiences, and focused on key priority areas you identified,” the statement said.

“We acknowledge that negotiations have taken longer than anyone had hoped, and recognise the impact this had on everyone at AV, along with our partners and community.”

Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Hill said the deal rewarded long-serving paramedics, made the state’s MICA paramedics the highest-paid in Australia, rewarded community officers and ensured paramedics finished on-time.

“Beyond wages and allowances, there are approximately 80 new or improved working conditions that help ambos have better work-life balance so that we retain them in the job for longer. That is ultimately what we set out to achieve in this round of bargaining,” Hill said.

“There is a lot more work to do including on ramping, response times, workload and morale. This outcome will allow us to focus our full attention on working through those matters with AV [Ambulance Victoria] and government.”

A state government spokesperson said the deal “recognises the challenges our paramedics are facing”.

“Our paramedics want a career that is sustainable and a better work-life balance, and this agreement delivers just that,” they said.

“This agreement will create a new end-of-shift clause ensuring paramedics finish on time – getting them home to their loved ones sooner and safer.”

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