HSUWA and UWU host stop-work walk for front line workers at Geraldton Hospital for 5 per cent wage increase

Local health care workers rallied outside Geraldton Health Campus on Thursday, pleading for a better pay deal from the State Government and arguing they were not paid enough in their high-pressure jobs to simply pay the bills. The United Workers Union and Health Services Union of WA joined forces on Thursday to organise the stop-work meeting outside the hospital, which was attended by dozens of local frontline workers. The unions and workers are calling on the McGowan Government to step up and increase wages for health workers by at least 5 per cent to help attract and retain people in this vital workforce. More than 90 per cent of UWU members rejected the Government’s pay offer of 2.75 per cent a year or 2.5 per cent plus a $1000 lump sum one-off payment, according to a recent survey. Patient service assistant Janet Ziatos participated in the stop-work march and has worked in the industry for 14 years. She said frontline workers deserved at least a 5 per cent rise due to increased job pressure and strain. “The impact is tremendous across the board and it has been since COVID stepped in,” she said. Ms Ziatos said on top of the long hours and physical demand for healthcare workers, wages weren’t sufficient to pay the bills because of inflation and the rising cost-of-living. “We have a shortage of staff, pressure on staff having to do double shifts, some of our staff are doing over 100 hours a fortnight, that’s a lot of pressure,” she said. “Look at us, realise we are for real, we deserve the 5 per cent pay rise and we need to be respected because we do the hard yards.” Because of rising living pressures, healthcare workers like Ms Ziatos are pushing for a pay rise across Western Australia. HSUWA assistant secretary Adrian Barrett said despite the Government’s 2.75 per cent pay offer, healthcare workers were still losing out on wages. “Whichever way you cut it, the people’s wages have gone backwards. Work has gone up, the work has gotten harder, COVID is here, and your wages have gone backwards,” he said. About 300 public sector workers — mainly from the health system — rallied outside Royal Perth Hospital on Wednesday for better pay, accusing the McGowan Government of creating a “generation of working poor”. An alliance of public sector unions — including roles such as health workers, police, prison guards and firefighters — are planning to strike on August 17 if the Government refuses to compromise on its wages policy. Premier Mark McGowan on Wednesday said his Government was “negotiating in good faith” and that he hoped an agreement would be reached before the strike.