The Marshall Liberal Government has successfully settled another enterprise agreement, this time with approximately 6,600 weekly paid staff – most of whom work in hospitals and the disability sector, including disability services officers, hospital cleaners, orderlies, sterilisation technicians, and food services staff.
An overwhelming majority (94 per cent) of those who participated in last week's ballot, voted in favour of the new 3-year enterprise agreement, which delivers 4 x annual increases of between $21 a week and increasing to $22.50 a week in July 2024.
In addition, 2 x $500 one-off payments will also be paid to staff – the first following approval by the SA Employment Tribunal and the second in July of this year.
Treasurer Rob Lucas welcomed the EA settlement which came after protracted negotiations and 8 months of industrial action, with United Workers' Union members implementing stop work bans which withdrew some infection control measures in the middle of the pandemic, including refusing to wipe down theatre trolleys and not emptying rubbish bins.
"We welcome the sensible conclusion to our long-running enterprise bargaining negotiations, which will see salary increases of between $21 and $22.50 each year over the life of the agreement in addition to two cash payments," Treasurer Lucas said.
"The Marshall Government values the important work of the thousands of weekly paid staff in our hospitals and disability sector and this agreement ensures they will continue to be paid fairly for that work.
"We said all along that the United Workers' Union's stop work bans – which withdrew some infection control measures in the middle of a pandemic – would not give me as Treasurer a single extra cent to spend on unreasonable wage increases."
This agreement – which will now go to the SA Employment Tribunal to be ratified – follows the settlement of recent EAs, including SA Health Salaried Medical Officers and SA Public Sector Salaried employees.
