Last minute deal is a lifesaver

– Melissa Grant
CARDINIA and Casey’s 12 intensive care paramedics have withdrawn their resignations after an 11th-hour deal was reached with the State Government.
They were among the 330 MICA paramedics who threatened to resign their specialist skills on Wednesday 9 September after Spring Street had refused their requests for a substantial pay rise.
However, the walkout was abandoned when a deal was struck on the Tuesday evening.
Bryan Chesson, acting team manager for the MICA 16 which covers Cardinia and Casey, said it was great the dispute had ended.
MICA paramedics said while advanced life support paramedics could administer some drugs, only they had the skill set required for life and death situations.
Under the new deal, a classification called MICA Single Responder Paramedic will be created for more senior paramedics.
Also, money that had previously been allocated as an allowance will now be included in MICA paramedics’ base pay rate.
Ambulance Victoria (AV) chief executive officer Greg Sassella said the agreement recognised the work of MICA paramedics and paved the way for future initiatives to keep AV as a world leading ambulance service.
Parties have agreed to have the in principle collective agreement between paramedic and Ambulance Victoria altered, provided it is voted up by a majority of all paramedics in the coming weeks.