Hundreds of mental health workers took stop work action on June 17 and marched from the Victorian Trades Hall to Parliament House where they demanded better wages and conditions.
The rally was organised by the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) and supported by a range of unions, including the Community and Public Sector Union, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch), the Australian Education Union, Rail Tram and Bus Union, the Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association and the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union.
HACSU is in negotiations with Victorian Labor over its public mental health enterprise agreement. The union rejected the government’s first offer at the end of last year, which it described as falling “well below the standards set by other recent public service agreements in Victoria”.
HACSU State Secretary Paul Healey said there is a need for a strong and robust mental health system that works for everybody, “starting with our members being paid properly”.
Monique, a HACSU member, told the rally that Labor’s pay offer is “an insult” and the union must demand better.
Sarah Hathway, HACSU delegate and a social worker in community health services, told Green Left that Labor is “refusing to address” any of their claims and there needs to be “equal pay between different sections of the healthcare sector”.
This was HACSU’s second stop-work action and it has plans for more action.
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