AREAS of south-west Victoria face future ambulance black spots and officers are increasingly taking sick leave because of stress, Warrnambool paramedics have told state Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews.
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The Labor leader was in the city yesterday to meet with regional leaders but arrived at the Warrnambool ambulance station to hear local concerns on the long-running pay row between paramedics and the government.
Paramedics told Mr Andrews that mobile intensive care ambulances (MICAs) based in towns such as Timboon and Hamilton were being “grandfathered” out, leaving black spots in coverage.
Other ambulances will still be available but the changes would strip the highest trained officers from the regions they said.
The union is still deadlocked with the government over talks for a 30 per cent pay rise over three years.
Labor has been using the stand-off to target the Napthine government, with other industrial disputes such as the teachers’ pay claim now settled.
Warrnambool ambulance officers were bleak about the prospect of it being resolved before the state election.
Education officer David Ahearn said paramedics were just “seeking parity” with other states.
“At the end of the day we’re the lowest paid paramedics in Australia. If the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania can pay more, surely Victoria can,” he said.
“Our job is to save lives, not save money.”
Union delegate and MICA paramedic Jock O’Connor said Warrnambool and other stations would lose paramedics because of the demoralising dispute and poor conditions.
“There’s going to be a huge loss in the next five years,” he said. Much of the talks were on how to put a dollar figure on the work of paramedics to measure productivity.
“You can’t have a Treasury bean counter work that out. Putting a dollar figure on it is hard,” Mr Andrews said.
Mr Andrews voiced his support for the union’s claims but stopped short of saying what his government would pay.
“I won’t tell you that I’ll make you the best paid paramedics in the country,” Mr Andrews said.
“I won’t lie but I do think people can be treated more respectfully.”
Not everyone in the room was convinced and didn’t hesitate to challenge the leader.
“I’ve worked for Labor for 30 years and I don’t think they’re looking after blue-collar workers anymore,” paramedic Trevor McCosker said.
Some officers also pointed out that the last EBA deal with the state Labor government saw overtime slashed to fund their pay rise.
?s.mccomish@fairfaxmedia.com.au
