Vic: Health care workers to strike at Western Hospital

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2001
Vic: Health care workers to strike at Western Hospital

Disgruntled orderlies, cleaners and other health care workers are planning to strike
at Victoria's public hospitals today in a bid for a better pay deal.

Members of the Health Services Union of Australia will begin an indefinite strike at
11.30am (AEDT) at the Western Hospital in Footscray.

The strike will mark the beginning of the union's campaign for a new enterprise bargaining
agreement.

Union state president PAULINE FEGAN says her members are fed up and want parity with
nurses who won a pay deal last year.

They want a pay increase of three per cent a year over three years, plus an extra payment
of 3.5 per cent.

Today's action will see services such as food service delivery, cleaning, rubbish removal,
admissions, discharges and clerical come to a standstill.

A dozen union members also will dress up as rats to demonstrate alleged poor hygiene
in Victoria's public hospitals.

Staff at public hospitals around the state are set to copy the move in coming weeks.

AAP RTV hmg/jlw/alt/jn/hn/psm

KEYWORD: HEALTH (MELBOURNE)

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