Advertised insult

AS A MICA paramedic with 23 years’ experience I find the continuing publication of the government’s “fair offer” to paramedics in local newspapers wasteful and insulting. Especially as the “offer” includes existing conditions, not new conditions.
I assure you Ambulance Victoria has more than adequately informed us and the ongoing publication of this misinformation is being done to sway public opinion during our EBA.
To clarify our leave – we do not get 10 weeks’ annual leave. We get:
* Four weeks’ annual leave – industry standard;
* One week leave for working shift work – industry standard;
* Three weeks in lieu for working public holidays – we are paid single time for working these days; and
* Two weeks in lieu for ADOs – industry standard.
Ambulance Victoria force us to take the time in lieu as leave blocks. We have no flexibility to take these days any other way. Our average working week is 42.5 hours.
Our current EBA expired in August 2012, and we are still trying to achieve a meaningful outcome while the government uses smoke and mirrors and refuses to resolve our issues. And wastes money.
We are asking for pay equality with other states, who have recognised the professional nature of paramedics, and pay them accordingly. We have been asking for this for several years, but the government refuses.
Victoria has the most qualified and highest skilled paramedics in Australia; we currently are the lowest paid.
The government “offer” would see the next EBA occur in 2017 resulting in a wage increase of 2.4 per cent, below the government’s stated wage policy of 2.5 per cent and placing us even further behind our interstate colleagues financialyl, while at the same time increasing our skills. This is not acceptable.
The government’s ongoing publication of its “offer” has cost taxpayers by estimation more than $400,000.
Money that could have been used as part of our wage claim, rather than wasted.
Many paramedics have moved interstate, and many more will follow if we are unable to resolve our EBA appropriately.
If you are faced with a medical emergency of a friend or loved one, do you want a highly qualified paramedic to treat them, and give them every chance of survival?
If you do, then pay us accordingly. All we are asking for is wage equality. Nothing more.
Bill Briggs,
MICA paramedic.