Tasmanian ambulance workers will escalate industrial action from Monday after what their union describes as a “failure” by the state government to respond to their overwhelming rejection of a workplace proposal.
Members of the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) have already been running statewide overtime bans this week, with paramedics and communications staff refusing to pick up extra shifts despite ongoing staffing pressures.
The union says compliance with the bans has been strong across all regions.
HACSU state secretary Robbie Moore said the escalation was a direct response to the government not engaging with ambulance workers after the ballot result.
“Ambulance workers delivered a clear message in the ballot, but instead of engaging with their concerns, the government has simply gone silent,” Moore said.
“Our members have continued turning up to work under enormous pressure, short-staffed and working as a single officer on a daily basis.”
“The least they deserve is a government willing to listen and respond.”
Moore said paramedics and communications staff had shown “tremendous professionalism” throughout the process but would not accept having their concerns ignored.
The union has not detailed what the escalated action will involve, but it follows a resounding vote against the government’s latest offer.
According to the union, workers are regularly left short-staffed and forced to operate as single officers on shifts.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said on Saturday the government remained at the bargaining table and wanted to finalise a deal quickly.
“We want to see Ambulance Tasmania staff get that pay rise as quickly as possible,” Archer said.
“We’re here ready to have those conversations in good faith with HACSU on behalf of their members and we really want to see that agreement finalised soon so that those hard-working members can get a pay rise.”
Archer pointed to agreements reached across other parts of the public sector as evidence of progress, saying the government wanted to deliver the same outcome for ambulance staff.
