When: 11am, Friday 7 November 

Where: Princess Alexandra Hospital, outside main entrance 

Who: United Workers Union Queensland Health and Ambulance Coordinator Fiona Scalon, Nuclear Medicine Scientist Richard Boytar, Radiation Therapist Alisha Reddan, health professionals and clinical assistants. 

 

Up to 2,000 crucial workers at hospitals across Queensland will begin industrial action today (Friday 7 November) in response to the Crisafulli Government’s woeful Enterprise Bargaining Agreement offer. 

Medical imaging staff, including radiographers, radiation therapists, nuclear medicine scientists, as well as pharmacists, oral health professionals, and clinical assistants are furious that the Government has proposed an agreement that would see some lose up to $30,000 in take home pay. 

The Government rejected every claim put forward by the United Workers Union from their members over six months of negotiations. They also propose to end the attraction and retention allowances which were paid to bring salaries up to the same level as workers doing the same jobs in other states and territories. 

“We’re going to lose vital, highly trained and experienced professionals to NSW and Victoria who are desperate to recruit these workers” said Fiona Scalon, Queensland Health and Ambulance Coordinator at UWU. 

“Our Clinical Assistants, really skilled, proficient workers, are already paid less than administration staff working in the same hospitals. Many of them are moving to administration roles because of the higher salaries despite their higher qualifications. 

“The [LNP promised an additional 46,000 health professionals by 2032](https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/102883) – how are they going to attract those workers with inadequate wages and poor conditions? 

“We surveyed our nuclear medicine scientists: over a third already had job offers from interstate or private providers. Over 70% said they were looking for work elsewhere. We only have 85 nuclear medicine scientists working in public hospitals in Queensland, they’re vital for imaging and treatment, mainly for cancer. We’re expecting similar figures from radiation therapists who we’re surveying now.” 

“These workers weren’t expecting much from this Government. Nobody in the Queensland public sector is celebrating big steps forward in their wages and conditions. But for some to have their take home pay cut so savagely is a huge kick in the guts.” 

Members will take action at worksites around the state, including: providing business cards to patients asking them to support workers by signing an open letter to the health minister; writing messages of protest on windows, doors and notice boards; and bans on work which does not impact urgent patient care. 

“Our members are committed to patient safety – in fact, key issues in the agreement are around workload and staffing levels that are impacting patient care,” Ms Scalon said. 

“Our members are sounding the alarm, and Queensland Health need to address these issues to keep serving the community and keep our healthcare system functioning.” 

As the Union and Queensland Health have been unable to reach an agreement, conciliation begins on Friday 7 November at the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. 



Crucial Health Workers Fight Back Against Pay Cuts in Queensland (United Workers Union)