Queensland Health Payroll Errors Prompt AWU Response

The Australian Workers' Union of Employees, Queensland is calling for an urgent overhaul of the Queensland Health payroll system after it was revealed hospital workers have been underpaid due to payroll errors. The AWU has long advocated for reform of the payroll system, with Queensland hospital workers regularly having to deal with errors in their pay. AWU Queensland Secretary Stacey Schinnerl said she had been in discussions with the Queensland Health Minister today and was confident the money would be reimbursed swiftly. However, Ms Schinnerl said the department needed to recognise the structural problem and lift its game. "I have personally spoken to Yvette D'Ath today and I am satisfied she will make sure these workers are paid what they are owed as quickly as possible. I'll be staying in close contact with the Minister until this happens," Ms Schinnerl said. "But we also need the department to urgently address the root problem here which is that their payroll system is completely cooked and regularly leaves hospital workers out of pocket. "Our union has been urging the department to act for years, but they have been dismissive and often arrogant about the problem. "This latest bungle is a big one, but it belongs to a pattern that the department has been content to ignore up until now. "When a hospital worker is underpaid this can have a huge impact on their quality of life. Often these workers are not paid a great deal for the incredibly important work they do for our state. When they get shortchanged on their pay it can really have a harmful effect. "These are the kind of payroll errors you wouldn't expect to see at your local bakery, let alone a massive government department. "Our union is calling for the department to pull their heads out of the sand, admit they've created a big problem, and to start fixing it."