The Health Services Union is hammering out a battle plan tonight. After delegates rejected the state government's 4% pay offer. They want 6 .5% at least and warn if they don't get it,
there'll be more industrial action starting Monday. Strong voices growing louder. APPLAUSE The Health Services Union with a clear message for the Premier. This government needs to get their sh** together pretty darn quickly
because if they don't, we're coming after them and the next election is not too far away. HSU members today voting to reject the state government's offer of a 4% wage bump. Instead issuing an ultimatum, pay more or pay the price.
Failing that as of Monday next week, we will be re -engaging with work bands and industrial action. Over 74 ,000 members strong. The strike action would impact hospitals and ambulances,
right through to admin staff. If we're not looked after, then the people we're looking after, they pay the price. We earn so much less. If you look at any other state, it's embarrassing.
A 6 .5% wage increase is what they are after. I understand the HSU are getting a little bit impatient. I understand that. But we've also got a job to make sure that we can fit it within our funding envelope.
The union insists if industrial action does go ahead on Monday, the impacts will be felt statewide tonight. They are working on a plan to ensure they can maximise the effects without compromising patient care.
If we need to go to war, we go to war. Grace Fitzgibbon, 7 News. We're getting very close. I've been at the HSU conference on Sunday and Monday. I'm deeply engaged with the workforce,
whether it's the HSU, nurses and midwives, ASMOF, the PSA. That's my job to do that. I think we are moving in the right direction. There is still more work to do over the course of coming days,
but I'm confident that we can get to a landing. Now, what decisions the HSU and any other union make is one for them. My job, and I think what the community expected of me, what I expect of myself and what the workforce expects of myself,
is to continue the engagement sensibly and productively to try and get to an outcome that is good for our healthcare workforce because that is my priority. I'm not going to be a health minister focused on purely bricks and mortar.
I think we've had 12 years focused on that. What I'm trying to do is focus on the men and women who deliver healthcare in New South Wales and try and give them the best possible outcome.
I think the offer we've put forward so far is a very good one. It's the highest one that they've had in over a decade. It'll be up to them to see what action they take, but that won't stop me engaging with them
over the coming days, weeks and months ahead. Is the government going to be open to negotiating a higher wage increase or is it going to be a take it or leave it kind of approach? Well, look, the Treasurer has been very clear that the offer on the table in relation to the wage offer is what it is. Now, obviously discussions will take place with unions and with their representatives around what that might look like
within a particular workforce, but the Treasurer has been very clear about that, so I don't see that changing anytime soon. I'm sorry. Yes we do, we have very detailed plans in place. In fact, I've already started conversations with New South Wales Health around should that take place because I've also, whilst a very important part of my role is to be engaging with the workforce, I've also got
a job to do and make sure I'm delivering health services for the community. And I take that job very seriously and that means we need to put mechanisms in place, whether it's increasing rosters, contracting other services out to make sure that that health care can
continue to be delivered because that's an important part of what we have to do. Having been at the conference you would have seen on their stage, the background of their stage is photos of each Labour MP holding a sign during the election saying we commit to supporting the HSU under the sign saying they promise to support you.
Labour MPs are now ministers doing enough to follow through all the commitments they made to HSU members. Well we've been in place a hundred days, the former government was in place for 12 years.
I'm an incredibly impatient person so nothing happens in health as quick as I would like it to. But I know that I am working very very hard as each and every one of the ministers and Premier IA to try and make sure that we deliver for our frontline health care workers while still acknowledging that we have some fiscal and budgetary challenges to face.
Part of governing is to weigh up those things. We've said very clearly that our priority is our frontline essential workers. It's why we've delivered a record pay -offer one they haven't seen in over a decade.
But I understand they'll want to have some discussions, make some decisions and continue to advocate. I'd expect nothing less. I'd expect nothing less. But we also have a job to do is to make sure that we can
0 Comments