Victorian allied health professionals are outraged at the Allan Government's budget for failing to address gender inequality in the largely female workforce.
The Fair Work Commission recently found allied health professionals have been significantly undervalued and underpaid for years under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020.
The Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA), which represents the workforce, is currently bargaining for a new public sector enterprise agreement. It is calling for substantial pay increases in line with the Commission's flagged gender-based undervaluation findings to lift wages, retain staff, and stem losses to the private sector and interstate.
Despite its stated commitment to gender equality, the Allan Government's budget makes no provision for these increases, and fails to address recruitment and retention issues, at a time when the cost of living is skyrocketing.
At a time of critical workforce shortages and workload blowouts, the Allan government has no real plan to secure a sustainable, high quality allied health workforce.
VAHPA is seeking a 36.18% wage increase over 3 years. After 24 meetings across eight months, the government has yet to make an offer.
VAHPA members are now preparing to vote on protected industrial action, with strong support expected following what VAHPA describes as a continued lack of recognition.
Quotes attributable to Andrew Hewat, Executive Officer, VAHPA:
"Allied health professionals are outraged by the Allan government's failure to recognise them in this budget. As members prepare to vote on protected industrial action, the state government's lack of regard will simply fuel the fight for respect, recognition and better pay and conditions."
"Allied health professionals are the engine room of our public hospitals. They test, treat, scan, diagnose, rehabilitate and discharge patients. In fact, it would be rare for a patient to pass through the hospital system without multiple interactions with allied health professionals. Yet, allied health professionals are largely the forgotten workforce. This Allan government budget offers nothing to address the critical workforce shortages, the dangerous workload pressures, the serious attraction and retention issues, or deal with addressing the years of gender undervaluation that have eroded real wages."
"We hoped a new health minister might trigger a change in direction and finally recognise and respect the critical role allied health professionals play in delivering safe, quality healthcare to all Victorians. This budget shows no sign of that."
