Arbitration hearings set for February - how you can help

Friday 12 Dec 2014

The arbitration hearings for the Public Hospitals and Health Services Agreement are set for 23-26 February 2015 as a Commission in Court session. This means the Chief Commissioner and two other Commissioners will hear the case.

The Government will be arguing the increases should be kept to 2.75% and 2.5%; the HSUWA will be arguing for increases of 4.0% and 5.0% from 1 July 2014 and 1 July 2015, respectively.

The Department of Health has until 21 January to lodge their case; the union has until 11 February to develop our case.

The HSUWA's barrister is former WAIRC President Mark Ritter SC, and the union is working with Mr Ritter and lawyers Slater and Gordon to mount the best possible case.

The summary of grounds and reasons in support of our claim are set out here.

How can you help?

Is your workplace more productive or efficient? Have you and your colleagues made changes which have saved money and/or improved services?  Have you participated in or lead programmes which have implemented new procedures, for example, the four-hour rule?

We need to know what you know. We also need members to volunteer to be witnesses.

The potential payoff is a bigger pay increase!