Hospital workers across South Australia are taking strike action as part of their campaign for fair pay and respect, warning that chronic short-staffing is directly fueling South Australia’s ambulance ramping crisis – a crisis the Premier has committed to fix.

Workers in key support roles at Glenside Hospital, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital will walk off the job for 30 minutes across two days, demanding a 20 per cent pay rise to bring them in line with their counterparts in other states.

Health support workers across multiple departments including theatres, patient transport, cleaning, and sterilisation are paid 20 per cent less than workers in other states. This underpayment and the resulting understaffing in South Australian support services cannot go on.

Quotes attributable to Roger Kay, Catering Attendant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital:

“Every day, we see the impact of short staffing. When there’s no one to clean a cubicle in emergency or on a ward, South Australians are unnecessarily ramped in ambulances – sometimes for hours.

“People are leaving these jobs because they simply can’t afford to stay. Some of my colleagues have cancelled health insurance or moved back in with family just to survive.

“The Premier says he wants to fix ramping – well, he can’t do that without fixing staffing, and he can’t fix staffing without fixing our pay.”

Quotes attributable to Demi Pnevmatikos, United Workers Union SA State Secretary and National Public Sector Director:

“South Australians deserve a health system that works – that means properly valuing the workers who clean, cook, care, and support.

“A 20 per cent pay adjustment to match other states is the fastest, cheapest way to end chronic short staffing and deliver on the Premier’s commitment to fixing ramping.

“Fix the pay gap, and you fix the staffing crisis. Fix the staffing crisis, and you fix the ramping.”

Patient safety remains a top priority throughout all industrial action. The United Workers Union is committed to working with the government to ensure patient well-being is not compromised.

Background

Stop work actions will occur at the following times:

Wednesday 18 June

  • 10:30 am – 11 am: Glenside Hospital
  • 2:45 pm – 3:15 pm: Royal Adelaide Hospital

Friday 20 June

  • 10:00 am – 10:30 am: Queen Elizabeth Hospital

These actions are part of a broader state-wide industrial campaign by United Workers Union members. Since February, more than 1,000 health support workers and over 1,100 Department of Human Services disability support workers have implemented work bans to demand fair pay and an end to chronic understaffing. These work bans are ongoing.

ENDS

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