eBulletin

18 April 2023

AV

AMBULANCE VICTORIA BARGAINING CONTINUES

Preliminary discussions are ongoing. Both UWU and the other bargaining party have presented their Logs of claims. At present, Ambulance Victoria doesn’t have the authority from Victoria State Government to negotiate with UWU as the budget has yet to be announced. We are awaiting AV’s Log of claims.

As required, during negotiations members best representing the issues raised in the log claims will be called to speak to them.

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WITH AMBULANCE VICTORIA MANAGEMENT

As part of the monthly State Consultative Committee meetings, UWU officials conveyed their disbelief and disapproval to AV regarding their decision to use Google balloting system instead of conducting a second-stage interview process to appoint roles and the general EOI selection process.

The UWU has long argued that the use of EOI secondments is an important part of members gaining knowledge and experience for possible career progression. AV has informed us that EOIs are treated by them as a quasi-recruitment process. This has not been our members’ experience. (You can read the union’s initial thoughts here).

To ensure that we understand the scope of the issue, Union officials are asking members to submit any experiences where they have doubted the legitimacy of the recruitment process.

ESTA

UNIONS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (UCC) MEETING

The UWU met with ESTA on Wednesday 12 April 2023.

At the meeting, ESTA provided an update on the ProQA 13.3 implementation. The ‘Go Live’ date for ESTA is May 4th 2023. With that date fast approaching, delegates raised concerns about the slow roll-out of training and information. The unions have firmly requested that ESTA ramp-up information sharing and training over the next two weeks, to ensure that employees feel confident when the ProQA switch is flicked.

It is the UWU’s position that implementation of the new ProQA should be in line with ESTA’s risk management policy. As such, the mental health of operators needs to be reasonably considered and ESTA have agreed to the Union’s request to progress information sharing ASAP to support the transition.

Next meeting is scheduled 7 June 2023. As always, if you’re experiencing or know of any widespread issues at ESTA that you would like to be addressed, please give Jules a call at 0422 682 622.

ESTA BARGAINING

The UWU met with ESTA and the other bargaining parties on Wednesday 5 April 2023.

Bargaining has technically yet to begin as UWU is waiting to hear from ESTA regarding their response to the Workforce Review and Classification restructure.

To ensure that the union reflects the interests of the membership, delegates, and officials have been asking ESTA to contribute their thoughts regarding the issue of mentoring. Thanks to all of those who provided their feedback. We will be in contact with you all shortly.

Once we have collated all the responses, we will report back our findings and put this to ESTA.

We ask those who have yet to contact UWU to do so either at [email protected] or Jules – [email protected]

NEPT

BARGAINING

The NPT EB negotiations have produced an in-principle agreement between NPT and the unions. The next stage is the drafting of agreement terms in detail and then put the proposed agreement out to a vote of all NPT employees. To bring the new agreement into operation (increased wages and improved conditions) will require a ‘YES” vote from 50% of voting employees. To ensure your voice is heard when the time comes ensure that you vote.

NON-EMERGENCY PATIENT TRANSPORT REVIEW CALLED

During the election, the Victorian Government made a commitment to conduct a review of the existing procurement arrangements for non-emergency patient transport, to assess whether outsourcing remains the most effective and efficient model to deliver it.

UWU wholeheartedly supports the review as it is an opportunity, at the very least, for minimum standards around wages and conditions to be established. For too long, private companies have justified reducing members’ wages and conditions to compete with other companies and procure contracts with the state government.

For those wishing to see the Terms of Reference for the Review click here.

KEEP IN TOUCH

As always, if you have any issues, questions or queries, get in touch by leaving a message on 9287 1713 or email [email protected]

And most importantly, please stay safe out there.

Your AEAV team