News
3rd May, 2021
AV Meal Breaks at Hospital
This change is significant and requires proper formal consultation with Health and Safety Representatives (HSR’s) to ensure that safety concerns are raised and properly discussed with the workforce before decisions are made.
Over the last few months members have raised an overwhelming amount of concern regarding spoilt and late meal breaks, and in some cases not having a meal break at all. The Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) have written to Ambulance Victoria (AV) to remind AV of their obligations under the Ambulance Victoria Enterprise Agreement 2020 (Agreement) and to complain about meal break windows being inappropriately interrupted in breach of meal break warning provisions found in clause 51.3 (e) of the Agreement. In relation to this point, the VAU is preparing to commence legal proceedings to address this breach of the enterprise agreement.
On Friday 30 April 2021, the VAU met with AV senior management to discuss its concerns about access to meal breaks. In this meeting the VAU was informed that AV were planning to address the current issues with meal breaks by unilaterally directing all crews to have meals at hospital or at branches nearby during busy periods. The VAU does not agree with this proposal.
While we acknowledge that AV have always had the ability under the Agreement to direct crews where and when to take crib meal breaks, the VAU raised the following concerns about the proposal:
- Crib meal breaks at branch are an important fatigue control measure that an individual can manage to ensure they are rested and safe to respond to cases in the community;
- Crews deserve to have some distance from hospitals, radios, pagers and the public in order to destress from the pace of ambulance work. This is not possible in a hospital cafeteria;
- Crews should be able to move to the nearest suitable branch within a reasonable distance to take and complete a crib meal break; and
- Meal break locations should be organised and determined on a case by case basis, with preference given to crews getting back to their own branch where they can rest and recline even for a short time.
Since that meeting, members have provided the VAU with a copy of a bulletin emailed to staff by AV today which informs members that crews will be directed to start meal breaks immediately upon clearing at hospital during a window of opportunity and will only have 15 minutes to find a suitable location to complete a crib meal break. In their bulletin, AV announced this change is scheduled to take effect on 10 May 2021.
This change is significant and requires proper formal consultation with Health and Safety Representatives (HSR’s) to ensure that safety concerns are raised and properly discussed with the workforce before decisions are made.
Given the seriousness of the proposal and concerns expressed by our members, the VAU contacted AV urgently this afternoon and requested that this change be postponed to ensure proper consultation takes place, including with HSRs.
Next Steps
We strongly encourage members to raise their concerns with their branch HSR in writing immediately.
Members will be kept informed as discussions progress.
In solidarity