HPDO offer on the table

The Palaszczuk Government has offered its health practitioners and dental officers a 2.5 per cent pay rise and an extension of professional development entitlements as part of a new pay deal.

It is the latest deal offered to Queensland Health staff as part of a move to restore fairness into the workplace and end the attacks on frontline workers which plagued the state’s public health care system under the previous government.

Health Minister Cameron Dick previously announced Queensland doctors would shortly vote on a new certified agreement to replace their much-maligned individual contracts. 

“We are committed to restoring fairness for our workforce and rebuilding the relationship with our people which our predecessors trashed through offensive and inappropriate workplace practices,” Mr Dick said.

The negotiations for a new agreement for health practitioners and dental officers began last year and were referred to arbitration when the parties could not agree.

“Following the election in January, we restarted meetings with the relevant unions and I am pleased to say the negotiations were productive and collaborative,” Mr Dick said.

“The results speak for themselves – we have avoided an expensive and antagonistic arbitration, and instead come up with a collaborative solution with union representatives that recognises the important clinical role these health professionals play.

“As with the doctors, this is all about letting professionals get on with their job instead of having to worry about organising campaigns for wage justice.”

The key elements of the terms include:

•          A 2.5 per cent wage increase for health practitioners effective from 17 October 2014, with a further 2.5 per cent increase from 17 October 2015
•          A 2.5 per cent wage increase for dental officers effective from 17 October 2015
•          An extension of the professional development entitlements to temporary staff and an increase to the current professional development allowance paid to Health Practitioners and Dental Officers based on the proposed 2.5 per cent wage increases from 17 October 2014 and 17 October 2015

Health practitioners and dental officers will have the opportunity to consider the full agreement shortly and cast their vote.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT:               Andrew Fraser   0428 690 679