Hospital workers resist contracting
By Roberto Jorquera
MELBOURNE — Health Services Union (HSUA) members at the Austin Hospital voted on November 11 to "commence a campaign of industrial action" until the hospital management agreed to a proposal from the union entitled "Without Prejudice". This seeks to protect existing staff entitlements if contracting out of hospital services is introduced.
The industrial campaign centres on work bans in environmental services, catering, ward helps and clerical duties.
The proposed agreement is based on similar agreements negotiated between the HSUA and the management of the Geelong and the Royal Melbourne hospitals. The proposal aims to provide "safety net conditions" for existing hospital staff who are members of the HSUA should the services they currently provide be contracted out through a competitive tendering process.
Workers are insisting that tenders provide full details of the number of staff required in servicing the contract, and that the contractor engage existing HSUA members within the affected department or relevant service to the level required to service the contract. Other demands include voluntary departure package and redeployment provisions for members who reject an offer of employment with an outside contractor.
After extensive negotiation with management, Richard Wates, the HSUA representative for the hospital, reported that management had agreed to all points except one — that the "contractor had to engage existing HSUA members".
Members voted unanimously to continue with the bans and to reassess the situation with the intention of increasing the level of industrial action if management remains intransigent.