Around 160 health workers walked off the job at Launceston General Hospital yesterday, with more than double that expected to strike today at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
The Health and Community Sector Union says members are prepared for rolling stoppages of up to 24 hours if Thursday’s bargaining talks with the government fails to progress.
Union state secretary Robbie Moore said stop work meetings were held at LGH, North West Regional Hospital and Mersey Community Hospital on Tuesday.
“At this stage, the government hasn’t indicated to us formally or otherwise that they’re going to backtrack on the reneging of what they put to us two weeks ago,” he told Pulse.
He said the Hobart strikes will take place at 10:30am outside the Liverpool Street entrance of the hospital.
Moore said members were “very angry” and had resolved to escalate industrial action if negotiations stall.
“Next week, we will look at up to eight-hour stoppages and the following week, 24-hour stoppages in different areas,” he said.
The strikes represent about half the non-medical workforce at affected hospitals, with doctors and nurses not involved in the current industrial action.
Workers are demanding a 4% pay rise, claiming similar increases have been secured by police, firefighters and education staff.
“Members have resolved they’re not going to be treated like second class citizens,” Moore said.
Bargaining meetings for the Allied Health Professional Agreement are scheduled for Thursday.
Moore said members would continue fighting until they see movement from government negotiators on their demands.
Government minister Jane Howlett said the unions were “creating chaos”.
“They know exactly what they’re doing. They’re politicising this,” she said earlier this week.
“They’ve walked away from the table. They’ve got strikes planned.”
“They need to get back to the table, stop affecting Tasmanians and work out a deal that is fair and suitable.”
