Doctors' campaign continues
By Kamala Emanuel
SYDNEY — Stop-work meetings to consider a motion for an indefinite strike have been called for all hospital doctors (including interns, residents, registrars and career medical officers) across NSW on February 11.
The Hospital Medical Officers (HMO) branch of the NSW Public Service Association called the meetings in mid-December after the Democrats voted with the Coalition in the Senate to pass legislation to restrict access to Medicare provider numbers for all new doctors.
The legislation was passed despite weeks of meetings and low-key industrial action designed to lobby health minister Michael Wooldridge and the Democrats.
Representatives from two suburban Sydney hospitals where general meetings of junior medical staff were held prior to the HMO branch meeting reported strong resonance for a serious industrial campaign. There was frustration at the slow pace of the campaign to date.
The legislation will affect doctors across Australia. Industrial action has been taken by doctors in NT, SA, the ACT and NSW.
Hospital doctors are covered by different unions in different states. NSW doctors are seeking to liaise with other states in an attempt to coordinate the campaign nationally and are calling for national strike action.