The latest from HP Negotiations

Hope you’re all doing well. It’s my turn to send you an update from the negotiating table.

Negotiations continue each Tuesday and predictably the Government continues their normal tactics of stalling and not responding to the issues that are important to HPs. For a full report on Tuesday’s negotiations click here.

One important discussion that happened on Tuesday that I thought you should know about was about Professional Development.

The Government expressed the view that employees should be substantially responsible for the cost of their own Professional Development and made it clear that our claims relating to increases in the Professional Development Allowances will be ignored. So its’ $1500 and the rest is up to us, so much for the Smart State. What do you reckon?

It is obvious to us in the negotiation room that this will be a tough round of bargaining but we know if we stick together and take the action we need to be heard - we can win.

HP members are facing a huge challenge to ensure that the current round of enterprise bargaining provides fair wages and not strip back conditions.

HPs need to remember that Health members have a proud record of changing unfair government wages policies.

In EB7, HPs will remember the Government offered pay increases of 3.25% and anything else could only be funded if actual costs savings were found.

QPSU and LHMU members put together a campaign which included community campaigning and industrial action, what we won was pay increases of 4.5% ,4% and 4% with no trade offs.

Yes, it was hard work but we won because everyone got involved encouraged non members to join, encouraged their fellow workers to get involved.

We need a similar effort this time round. We need to encourage non members to join now so that when we start community campaigning we can show Queensland Health and the Government that we have the same strength and resolve as the workers had in EB7.

We did it before and we’ll do it again. If you would be able to be a HP Stronger Together Campaign Contact for your workgroup drop me an email at jenny.bishop@qpsu.org.au and one of our delegates or organisers will be in touch.

Kind regards
Jenny Bishop
HP Steering Committee Delegate

P.S This is a HP union campaign. If you want to join with your fellow HPs and build a stronger HP union, you need to first join at www.hpstrongertogether.com/join.htm.