News

As of 25.03.2024 the VAU has had 80 meetings with Ambulance Victoria and the Victorian Government.

The parties have agreed to have a facilitator present in bargaining discussions to assist with the negotiations. Former Fair Work Commissioner Michelle Bissett has been assigned as a facilitator and has been present at the last two meetings.

Key outstanding items

The VAU continues to advocate for a large number of outstanding matters in the negotiations. In particular, we are focusing our attention on the key areas that received the most feedback from members when we called for submissions to go into the log of claims. These are some of the key items that we have been pursuing in recent months.

Wage structure

There are two key streams under the wage structure in the current agreement. ALS and MICA paramedics progress annually through levels 1-9. Specialist classifications progress at levels 1,3,6 & 9. Members who work in Clinic Transport, Patient Transport and Fleet Maintenance are currently included in the specialist progression. The VAU is seeking that these classifications be included in the structure that allows annual progression. AV have rejected this claim arguing they are unable to fund it.

Ambulance Community Officer (ACO) standby allowance.

The VAU is seeking an allowance for ACOs when they make themselves available to respond in their community. Our original claim was to provide ACOs with the same rate as the current on-call allowance of $9.08 per hour. Throughout the negotiations we have reduced the amount to $5.00 per hour. AV have rejected this claim arguing they are unable to fund it.

Payment of the Ambulance Response Unit (ARU) allowance for all purposes.

            The VAU is seeking that ARU qualified staff are paid the appropriate ARU rate for all purposes.

            AV do not agree with this claim.

Increases to unsociable shift allowances.

The VAU originally sought increases to the unsociable shift allowances and a broader application to include all night shifts, afternoon shifts that finish after 2300, overtime shifts worked on unsociable shifts, applicable to on-call location and a higher rate for crews working double nights. These claims were rejected by AV and Government.

AV presented an option of increasing the unsociable shift penalties for the current application of afternoons and nights by recalculating the current rolled in rate. This would see a lesser increase to the RIR and increases to unsociable shift penalties.

The VAU continues to argue that higher unsociable shift penalties, alongside improved access to shorter shifts as part of flexible work arrangements and permanent part time rosters, would help to reduce unfilled shifts that would otherwise be filled as full shift overtime. AV reject this and want increased unsociable shift penalties to come from the RIR rather than their cost savings from a reduced overtime bill.   

Travel allowances for full shift overtime.

The VAU is seeking that when members work full shift overtime they are reimbursed for the travel to and from that location. This has been a longstanding practice within rural Victoria, however some regions pick and choose when it is paid. AV have rejected this claim.

Clinical Instructor Allowance

The VAU is seeking improvements to the Clinical Instructor Allowance. Our original claim was to increase the allowance to $8.80 per hour and rename the allowance the Direct Supervision Allowance to be paid in all circumstances where members provide direct supervision to another employee including MICA interns, or in Communications, Rosters or Triage Services.

We are also seeking the introduction of an Indirect Supervision Allowance of $4.40 per hour to be paid when members are providing indirect supervision to a Graduate paramedic.

AV have rejected this claim arguing they are unable to fund it.

Improvements to On-call provisions.

The VAU have several claims to improve working conditions for members working at on-call branches. Claims include increasing the on-call allowance, increasing the minimum call out time and applying the unsociable shift allowance that applies to other members to on-call members. To date AV have rejected all of these claims.

We have had some positive discussions about the introduction of meal break provisions for on-call members. However, AV have rejected any payments for late or spoilt meals for on-call paramedics.

Senior Resourcing Officers and Referral Service Team Leaders.

The VAU have advocated that relativity issues relating to Senior Resourcing Officers and Referral Service Team Leaders be addressed.  To date AV have rejected all of these claims.

Rural shift allocation model

The VAU has been advocating for improvements to the current Resource Allocation and Reserve and Relieving clauses. In particular, the VAU is seeking improved mechanisms to prevent members being forced onto ‘spare’ in favor of an incentivized model. We want members to have the right to refuse to move, and members who are prepared to move are offered incentives to work full shifts at alternative branches.

We have made some positive ground on this model, including the introduction of ‘Flexible Cycles’ where members work a 28 day roster cycle at a secondary location but without the requirement to be contactable outside of hours or be mobile across multiple locations. We have also made some positive ground in relation to a stepped process that prioritises volunteers and protects those who are unable to move. However, we have not reached agreement on allowances to be paid when working a flexible cycle.    

New workload clause.

The VAU are seeking the introduction of a workload clause. This is progressing, however the VAU believes this should form part of an OHS clause.

New right to disconnect clause.

This is progressing. The purpose is to prevent members being contacted outside of rostered working hours unless they have made themselves available on the roster kiosk and are being offered overtime shifts or when that is part of their role (SRP/RSRP).

Improvements to disciplinary clause.

This is progressing. We are seeking an improved clause the protects members from being stood down for extended periods of time.

Improvements to meal allowances.

We are seeking increases to Living Away From Home (LAFH) Allowances to (breakfast $32.55, lunch $46.00, dinner $64.50). We are also seeking Late Crib Meal Allowances be increased to $17.83 in respect for the first hour, $17.83 for second hour and $20 per hour for the third and subsequent hours, and overtime meal allowance increased to $17.83. AV have rejected these claims.

Communications Centre Allowance for Communications Centre ASOs.

The VAU is seeking the ASOs who work in communications Centres are paid the Communications Centre Allowance. This claim has not been agreed to by AV, however AV have agreed to increasing the wage of communications ASOs that is commensurate with being paid the CCA. The parties are currently in discussions about options to translate administrative staff from the current agreement to the Management and Administrative Agreement. This is likely to involve higher wage increases due to the translation and a move away from the Mercer system. However, we need to ensure that members are not left worse off in any way. These discussions are continuing.

Access to screen breaks.

This is progressing. There is further work to do to clarify that all screen intensive roles are included.

New OHS clause.

The VAU is seeking the inclusion of an OHS clause in the EBA that would allow OHS matters to be taken to the Fair Work Commission. The clause (which is already in the Victorian Public Sector Agreement) would also include rights for health and safety representatives and designated work groups. To date AV have rejected this clause and stated that they are meeting their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Payment of 50% of sick leave on retirement.

The VAU has a claim to allow members to be paid out half of their remaining sick leave balance when they retire or leave AV on medical grounds. AV have rejected this claim.

Permanent Part Time

The VAU is seeking improvements to permanent part-time arrangements. Specifically, the ability of an employee to return to full-time employment. The purpose of this is to allow members to choose permanent part-time rather than flexible work arrangements, so that they are not required to renegotiate their FWAs every 12 months, yet do not give up their right to return to full-time employment by converting to permanent part-time. AV have stated they will only agree to this claim if part-time members are able to have their rosters changed without agreement in circumstances where the underpinning roster changes as part of a major change process.

Release from duty to maintain on-road ATP.

The VAU is seeking the ability for staff in non-patient facing roles to be more easily able to maintain their on-road ATP including the ability to be released from duty to complete on-road shifts. To date AV have rejected this claim and stated that they do not require these staff members to maintain their on-road ATP.

STM Equivalent Positions

The parties have had discussions regarding the potential of moving STM equivalent positions into the Administrative and Management Agreement including the Emergency Management Planning Coordinators, Regional Capability Development/Enhancement Coordinator and Community Engagement Coordinator. These positions may fit better under the AVMA. However  we will not progress with this discussion if members are not better off overall under the AVMA. The VAU will report back on this to members in due course.

These are all claims that we continue to pursue at the bargaining table. Ultimately it is up to the members to determine when agreement is reached. The emphatic uptake of industrial action this week has sent a very strong message that we are a long way from an acceptable agreement.