News

Yesterday (Tuesday 20 June), Ambulance Victoria (AV) presented its Log of Claims for a new enterprise agreement to replace the Ambulance Victoria Enterprise Agreement 2020.

The AV Log of Claims contains eleven high level claims which will be discussed in detail by the parties over coming months alongside our own claims.  

In brief, the AV claims include:

• Introducing gender reassignment paid leave – in alignment with the Victorian Public Sector Agreement entitlement of 4 weeks paid leave and up to 48 weeks unpaid leave.
• Aligning some clauses in the Ambulance Victoria Enterprise Agreement (AVEA) with clauses in the Ambulance Victoria (Management and Administrative) Enterprise Agreement (AVMA).
• Updating disciplinary outcome clause – Include options to transfer an employee to another location and assign an employee to a lower classified position.
• Recognising time in long term secondment for the purposes of salary increment progression including progression during long-term secondment prior to appointment, or recognition of time prior to appointment to determine classification and salary increment upon appointment to role.
• Reimbursing driver licence renewal costs – equal entitlement for paramedics and Ambulance Community Officers.
• Redrafting agreement in ‘plain English’ so that it can be simplified and easier to understand.
• Introducing ALS Clinician Classification – currently part of Operational Communications redesign.
• Reviewing Reserve and Relieving clause – Improve compensation for employees who work flexibly, improve community coverage, building on existing allowances for members who work at another location on a planned roster and flexible until start of shift.
• Discussion about the rolled-in rate and other shift incentives – to encourage members to work weekend and unsociable shifts (including as part of an FWA or permanent part time arrangement).
• Updating the Parental Leave clause – to ensure all entitlements are consistent with the Fair Work Act.
• Discuss the part-time employment clause – to allow members to easily take a part-time contract and avoiding the need to renegotiate an FWA.

The union claims have not been formally responded to yet and discussions will continue over coming months including more detailed discussions on the points above.

In relation to wages, AV have stated that they are bound by State Government wages policy which allows for:

• 3% per year increase to wages.
• Additional 0.5% associated with productivity improvements.

We know that the wages and working conditions of our members require significant improvement in order to retain the experienced workforce. The offer as it currently stands does nothing to stop AV from haemorrhaging experienced staff.

The VAU will continue to advance the claims in our log, and bargain on behalf of our members until we have a package of improvements that will assist in rebuilding our experienced workforce and make ambulance a job for life.  

In Solidarity.