Thousands of health workers across Victoria are poised to go on strike in an escalating pay and conditions dispute that will heap fresh pressure on the Allan government with hospitals bracing for widespread disruption.
Unions representing nurses, midwives and allied health professionals said the planned industrial action reflects deep frustration after months of stalled negotiations with the state.
They claimed that wages have failed to keep pace with the cost of living and workloads have become unsustainable particularly in public hospitals already stretched by staff shortages and rising demand.
The strike will affect various health services across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria with the possible exception of emergency departments and critical care units which might operate under contingency arrangements.
The union leaders said that patient safety would be paramount but elective procedures, outpatient clinics and non urgent services might be postponed.
Pay is at the centre of the dispute. Health unions say members are falling behind comparable public sector workers and private providers which makes retaining experienced staff and recruiting new graduates more difficult.
They point to evidence of chronic overtime, missed meal breaks and high rates of burnout as indicative of existing workforce policies failing.
The state government has acknowledged the challenges that health workers are experiencing but has encouraged unions to continue negotiating at the bargaining table.
Specifically, for the hospital and healthcare facilities the impending strike is an operational problem when demand is still high.
Notably, the public healthcare system in Victoria has continued to experience long waiting lists for elective surgery and also overcrowding in the emergency department partly due to gaps in the number of nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.
Currently efforts are underway to implement contingency measures to ensure the continuation of services during the strike.
The dispute also has political as well as financial implications. The health services are one of the major expenditure departments of the state and this round of wage bargaining might affect other public services.
A substantial increase in wages would hamper state budgets while protracted industrial action could result in public discontent if the provision of care suffers.
For those on the front line this strike is being portrayed as a last resort.
It has been reported that union members had been unwilling to go down this path but had been left with little recourse having had talks with unsuccessful outcomes.
Timing is critical. Inflation may be easing but budgets are still tight in many households. The cost of living factor is therefore firmly in the spotlight.
Health sector staff claim their salaries have failed to keep pace with rising costs of housing, home loans and living costs despite the crucial role they perform.
Looking ahead the next focus will be on whether or not the strike goes ahead as scheduled and to what extent.
In the event that an agreement cannot be formed the unions have made it clear that they are willing to escalate their tactics which would lead to a prolonged showdown between the state and its most vital sector.
