What: Health professionals stop work as part of protected industrial action, protesting cuts to pay and conditions – with many set to resign if negotiations don’t progress.
When and where: 12.30-1.30pm Thursday 11 December, Parliament House, outside Botanic Gardens entrance.
Who: United Workers Union Queensland Health and Ambulance Coordinator Fiona Scalon, 250+ nuclear medicine scientists and radiation therapists from hospitals across Queensland. Members will be available to speak to media.
Queenslanders could face significant treatment and diagnosis delays if the Government doesn’t improve their Enterprise Bargaining Agreement offer to health professionals, with the bulk of the state’s nuclear medicine scientists intending to resign if proposed pay cuts go ahead.
Health workers who diagnose and treat Queensland’s vulnerable cancer patients will be stopping work for up to 8 hours on Thursday 11 December as part ongoing protected industrial action, after the Government proposed an agreement that would see some lose up to $30,000 in take home pay.
“The Government need to step up and commit to keeping existing allowances and grants, or risk losing skilled workers to the private sector and interstate,” said United Workers Union Queensland Health and Ambulance Coordinator Fiona Scalon.
“Our members are committed to serving Queenslanders – but they shouldn’t have to suffer significant pay cuts to keep doing that.
“More than 95% of the state’s nuclear medicine scientists are UWU members and they are ready to resign if the Government doesn’t treat them, and the health professionals they work with, with the fairness and respect they deserve.
“The impact on Queensland’s public health system will be significant. It’s not a decision they make lightly, but losing 25% of their pay is unacceptable.
“Workers are dedicated to the patients they care for, and there are mitigations in place to make sure no sick patients miss treatments during these stop works.”
UWU members including medical imaging staff like radiographers, radiation therapists, nuclear medicine scientists, as well as pharmacists, oral health professionals, and clinical assistants have been negotiating with the Government for more than six months on a new EBA.
Queensland Health applied to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission for conciliation on 27 October.
ENDS
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