News

The VAU has continued to bargain with Ambulance Victoria (AV) for a new enterprise agreement to replace the current Ambulance Victoria Enterprise Agreement 2020, which expires on 31 January 2024. To date there has been 55 meetings. While there has been some slow but positive progress in some key areas relating to working conditions, we have had little progress in relation to wages.

Wage claims:

The VAU have sought wages increases of 6% per annum for all classifications on the 01 Feb 2024, 01 Feb 2025, 01 Feb 2026; or all pay rates will increase in line with CPI increases whichever is higher. The VAU have also sought additional wage levels to extend from year 9 to year 15 in order to retain the experienced workforce.

AV and Government have rejected these claims citing Government wages policy of 3% per year unless offsets and efficiencies can be found.

MICA uplift:

In order to provide a wage relativity between ALS, that reflects the frontline clinical leadership and responsibility of MICA paramedics, the VAU have sought an initial wage uplift of $12,623.52 to all MICA qualified paramedics.

AV and Government have rejected these claims citing Government wages policy of 3% per year unless offsets and efficiencies can be found.

Ambulance Response Units:

The VAU has sought that the ARU rate of pay be paid for all purposes for ARU qualified ALS paramedics, Team Managers and Senior Team Managers.

AV and Government have rejected these claims, preferring to maintain the current model.

Clinical Instructors:

The VAU have sought an increase in the Clinical Instructor allowance from $5.78 per hour to $8.80 per hour.

AV and Government have rejected these claims citing Government wages policy unless offsets and efficiencies can be found.

Meal Allowances:

The VAU has sought increases to Meal Allowances including:

• LAHA Breakfast- $32.55
• LAHA Lunch- $46.00
• LAHA Dinner- $64.50
• Increases to Late Crib Meal Allowances to $17.83 in respect of the first hour or part thereof and $17.83 in respect of the second hour or part thereof and $20 per hour in respect of the third and subsequent hours.
• Payment of two Crib Meal Allowances for shifts that incur two meal break periods.
• Overtime meal allowance increased to $17.83.

AV and Government have rejected these claims citing Government wages policy of 3% per year unless offsets and efficiencies can be found.

On-call Paramedics and Ambulance Community Officers:

For on-call paramedics, the VAU has sought:

• an increase to the on-call allowance from $9.08p/h to $18.16 per hour and to apply to ACOs.
• Minimum call out payment to be increased from 1.5 hours to 3 hours for each call out.
• Payment of Broken Meal Allowance when an employee is on call and is called out in their Window of Opportunity.

AV and Government have rejected these claims citing Government wages policy of 3% per year unless offsets and efficiencies can be found.

Unsociable Shift Incentives: 

The VAU has sought to increase the application of unsociable shift allowances to include:

• Additional nightshifts.
• Afternoon shifts that finish beyond 2300.
• Double nightshifts.
• Extended to paramedics working in on-call locations.

AV and Government have rejected these claims.

Other Allowances:

The VAU has sought additional allowances for members including:

• Higher education allowance.
• ARV PTO allowance.
• Search, Rescue and Retrieval Skills allowance.
• Reimbursement of Working with Childrens Check.

AV and Government have rejected these claims citing Government wages policy of 3% per year unless offsets and efficiencies can be found.

Overtime:

The VAU has sought improvements to overtime rates of pay including:

• All overtime to be paid at double time.
• All overtime to be paid at double the rolled in rate of pay for operational employees entitled to the rolled in rate.
• Overtime on a public holiday to be paid at triple the rolled in rate of pay for operational employees and at triple time for non-operational employees.
• Time and travel payments for overtime shifts equitable across all regions. Will include time and travel kilometres paid at OT rates from residence to branch location.
• Unsociable shift allowance applicable to full shift overtime.
• Employees that make themselves available for duty after receiving a Code Orange or Code Red text message to their personal phone between 2000hours and 0800 hours will be paid at 3xRIR to reflect the intrusion into their right to disconnect.
• When an employee is retained on duty to attend a case at the end of a shift for one hour or more, they will be paid a minimum of 4 hours at double time, provided that the employee will be released from duty at the completion of the case and will not be required to remain on duty for the full 4 hours.

AV and Government have rejected these claims sighting Government wages policy of 3% per year unless offsets and efficiencies can be found.

Offsets and Efficiencies:

Over the past year, the VAU have put forward a number of suggestions to AV and Government, both in bargaining and separately, to help save taxpayers money and make AV a more efficient service including:

• Increasing AV NEPT recruitment and fleet and increase options for ACO crews to transport low acuity patients rather than using paramedic crews.
• Improvements to end of shift management and access to meal breaks, and other measures to reduce unplanned absences and save AV from needing to fill shifts on overtime.
• Options for shorter afternoon and nightshifts to allow members with family responsibilities to be able to fill shifts as part of their regular part time or FWA roster and save AV from needing to fill shifts on overtime.
• Improvements to call-taking and dispatch processes to prevent unnecessary dispatch of emergency crews to non-emergency cases. 
• Introduction of minimum staffing levels for DM, CSP and Clinicians, at THOSECC and BALSECC to assist with crew support, resourcing and downgrading cases.
• Introduce minimum staffing levels for support services including Rosters, payroll, and Human Resources departments to better support and retain operational employees.

Sadly, these suggestions are met with resistance. AV would rather squeeze you to be more efficient, or to trade away hard fought and won conditions to offset wage rises rather than fixing the structural issues that create inefficiency in the ambulance service.

The current Agreement expires in just 59 days, and if we have not reached in-principal agreement then we will begin the process of making a protected action ballot order. Only VAU members who have nominated the VAU as their bargaining representative will be able to take protected industrial action. Currently 82% of the AV workforce have nominated.

If you would like to nominate the VAU as your bargaining rep please use our contact form by clicking on the button below:

In solidarity