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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/04/health-workers-leaving-nsw-for-better-pay-spurs-union-to-escalate-industrial-action
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| Health workers leaving NSW for better pay spurs union to ‘escalate industrial action’ | Health workers leaving NSW for better pay spurs union to ‘escalate industrial action’ |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Health Services Union says wages have hit rock bottom and contributed to 12,000 vacancies as workers head interstate | Health Services Union says wages have hit rock bottom and contributed to 12,000 vacancies as workers head interstate |
| Health workers heading interstate for better pay is one reason a New South Wales union is threatening “escalating industrial action” from next week. | Health workers heading interstate for better pay is one reason a New South Wales union is threatening “escalating industrial action” from next week. |
| Health Services Union delegates on Tuesday voted to recommend members take action unless the NSW government changed its offer of a 4% wage rise by Friday. | Health Services Union delegates on Tuesday voted to recommend members take action unless the NSW government changed its offer of a 4% wage rise by Friday. |
| The union wants a 6% rise excluding super or a flat rise of $3,500 that would most benefit those on lower pay. | The union wants a 6% rise excluding super or a flat rise of $3,500 that would most benefit those on lower pay. |
| A final decision will be made by tens of thousands of members in local branches at hospitals, ambulance stations and aged care facilities. | A final decision will be made by tens of thousands of members in local branches at hospitals, ambulance stations and aged care facilities. |
| Wages had hit rock bottom in NSW and contributed to the 12,000 vacancies in the state health system, the union said. | Wages had hit rock bottom in NSW and contributed to the 12,000 vacancies in the state health system, the union said. |
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| Workers have been leaving for Queensland, ACT and Victoria because the pay is significantly better and housing is cheaper. | Workers have been leaving for Queensland, ACT and Victoria because the pay is significantly better and housing is cheaper. |
| “We are prepared to negotiate but the government needs to put an offer on the table for our members to consider,” the union secretary, Gerard Hayes, said. | “We are prepared to negotiate but the government needs to put an offer on the table for our members to consider,” the union secretary, Gerard Hayes, said. |
| Industrial action could take many forms, including linen delivery bans, finance processing bans, stop-work orders and strikes. | Industrial action could take many forms, including linen delivery bans, finance processing bans, stop-work orders and strikes. |
| It is the latest move in the union’s fierce pay dispute with the new Labor government. | It is the latest move in the union’s fierce pay dispute with the new Labor government. |
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| The treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, was heckled and asked pointed questions about his own pay packet during an address to the union’s annual conference on Monday. | The treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, was heckled and asked pointed questions about his own pay packet during an address to the union’s annual conference on Monday. |
| The government’s 4% offer applies to all public sector workers and is on top of a mandated 0.5% increase in super contributions. | The government’s 4% offer applies to all public sector workers and is on top of a mandated 0.5% increase in super contributions. |
| If accepted, it will be backdated to 1 July. | If accepted, it will be backdated to 1 July. |
| The health minister, Ryan Park, is confident talks with unions will keep progressing but won’t yet entertain an increase to the highest wage offer in the past decade. | The health minister, Ryan Park, is confident talks with unions will keep progressing but won’t yet entertain an increase to the highest wage offer in the past decade. |
| “Discussions will take place with unions and with their representatives around what that might look like within a particular workforce,” he said on Tuesday. | “Discussions will take place with unions and with their representatives around what that might look like within a particular workforce,” he said on Tuesday. |
| “But the treasurer has been very clear about that [offer], so we don’t see that changing any time soon.” | “But the treasurer has been very clear about that [offer], so we don’t see that changing any time soon.” |
| The health system had plans in place should union members take industrial action next week, he said. | The health system had plans in place should union members take industrial action next week, he said. |
| If accepted, the government’s wage offer would boost base pay by an extra $2,204 a year for a hospital security guard, $2,970 for a third-year registered nurse or a first-year paramedic and $9,670 for senior specialist doctors. | If accepted, the government’s wage offer would boost base pay by an extra $2,204 a year for a hospital security guard, $2,970 for a third-year registered nurse or a first-year paramedic and $9,670 for senior specialist doctors. |
| NSW Health workers who salary-sacrifice will also see a bit more pay through the winding down of a tax measure that only affects those staff. | NSW Health workers who salary-sacrifice will also see a bit more pay through the winding down of a tax measure that only affects those staff. |
| It comes after inflation in the year to May reached 5.6%, mainly driven by housing, food and household goods and services. | It comes after inflation in the year to May reached 5.6%, mainly driven by housing, food and household goods and services. |