News
9th June, 2021
RSRP and Spare
If you are rostered to a spare line, you have the right to start your shift from your home branch. Once you have arrived at work and your rostered shift time has started you may then be directed to go to a secondary location. At that point you may request a taxi or work vehicle or if you choose to travel in your own vehicle.
As members will be aware one of the key outcomes of the Ambulance Victoria Enterprise Agreement 2020 (Agreement) was the introduction of the Rural Senior Relieving Paramedic (RSRP) position.
This was an important outcome as the best defence against any form of forced ‘rural reserve’ model is to have a very strong and well-resourced voluntary reliving model. The Agreement ensures that Ambulance Victoria (AV) employees who are happy to voluntarily relieve away from their home branch are given the opportunity to do so and to reduce the need for members to be rostered to spare lines against their will.
The Agreement stipulates that there will be a minimum of 100 two-year RSRP secondments and 50 RSRP short term secondments during the life of the agreement. Rest assured the Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) will be strongly advocating that these numbers are increased beyond the minimum amount so that members who prefer to voluntarily relieve are able to do so in lieu of rostering members to spare.
The provisions of the Agreement applicable to relieving and senior relieving including requirements to travel outside of work hours to other branches, be contactable outside of work hours, and work full shifts at secondary locations are requirements of RSRP and Relieving paramedics. These do not apply to members who are rostered to spare lines.
There is no requirement under the Agreement for members who are rostered to spare lines to travel outside of work hours to other branches, be contactable outside of work hours, and work full shifts at secondary locations.
If you are rostered to a spare line, you have the right to start your shift from your home branch. Once you have arrived at work and your rostered shift time has started you may then be directed to go to a secondary location. At that point you may request a taxi or work vehicle or if you choose to travel in your own vehicle, you can claim the fuel cost in kilometres travelled as per clause 31.21 a) (ii). You must also be permitted to return to your home branch in time to finish your shift at your rostered finish time. This applies to members who work full-time hours and those on flexible work arrangements.
The VAU strongly advises members to exercise the above rights when rostered as spare and if you are not an RSRP or Reliever. If you are rostered to spare and would prefer to be an RSRP you should request this. But if AV decline your request, you should exercise your rights under the Agreement and start and finish from your home branch.
In solidarity,