More than 120 workplace bans have kicked in across Tasmania’s health system this morning after union negotiations with the state government collapsed.
The Health and Community Services Union claims the government reneged on a commitment to offer health workers a 4% annual pay rise.
HACSU state secretary Robbie Moore said the union received written confirmation last week from the head of the state service.
“Everything was on track and then we had a number of meetings cancelled until finally we met at 1 o’clock yesterday to be told that they were reneging on all the commitments they’d made,” he told Pulse.
“Rather than just renege on what they had committed to, they were now putting on the table significant cuts to long held conditions that have never been mentioned in over 12 months of this process.”
Moore said the industrial action would cost taxpayers significantly, but the end result will ultimately be no worse off than a health system “letting Tasmanians down”.
“They can’t afford for the Tasmanian community to not take this on,” he said.
The state government disputes claims it has broken any commitments.
A spokesperson said the latest proposal offered 3% increases in years one and two, plus structural reforms, and a 2.75% increase in year three.
“Any proposal is, and always has been, conditional on efficiencies and offsets being negotiated.”
The spokesperson described the union’s refusal to negotiate as “extremely disappointing and irresponsible”.
Emergency services won’t be affected by the bans, but other health services face disruption.
Moore said the union was considering further escalation including stop work meetings across the state.
“Workers are angry and they’re going to do whatever it takes now to fight this,” he said.
The government has committed to continuing negotiations until 31 March 2026.
