Victorian Ambulance maintenance crews and admin staff have voted to take industrial action this week – including walking off the job – after the breakdown of 14 months of pay negotiations.

Ambulance Fleet Maintenance Officers (FMOs) say Ambulance Victoria has failed to recognise their crucial role in keeping ambulances on the road in rural Victoria, and had refused reasonable demands for better pay in a cost-of-living crisis.

Among ambulance admin staff, female workers have faced up to 7 years without a reasonable pay rise as they struggle with a bureaucratic jobs management system that only further entrenches gender inequities.

“Our crews in fleet and ambulance workers in admin feel they have been given no other option but to take industrial action, and have voted accordingly,” United Workers Union’s National Ambulance Co-ordinator, Fiona Scalon, said today.

“AV doesn’t seem to ‘get’ how important fleet workers are in providing much-needed ambulance services in regional Victoria, or how important admin staff are to crews and patients receiving the back-office support they need accurately and swiftly.

“After 70-plus meetings, Ambulance Victoria has failed to present an offer that addresses the cost-of-living crisis facing our members, or commit to addressing admin staff’s legitimate gender equity concerns.

“Ambulance Victoria has also failed to address paramedics’ reasonable demands around end-of-shift practices.”

FMOs are the mechanics who ensure ambulance trucks remain operational in regional Victoria. Without fleet, Ambulance Victoria stops – but the pay of FMOs lags behind mechanic counterparts in other emergency services.

FMOs downed their tools and stopped work on Wednesday, March 27, and will be taking further stop work actions.

Administrative staff at Ambulance Victoria have faced wage stagnation while operating under the Mercer CED System. This flawed system has perpetuated a lack of salary transparency, leaving employees in the dark about fair compensation for their efforts.

Ambulance Victoria administrators are taking protected actions including work stoppages and work bans from Monday.

FLEET MAINTENANCE OFFICERS:

“We’re not accepting scraps once everyone else has had their fill.” – Lyle, Fleet Maintenance Officer.

“Fleet are the forgotten ones at AV but without us, everything stops.” – Tony, Fleet Maintenance Officer

ADMINISTRATORS

“I look at patient cases that include death and traumatic injuries. I am under the title of administrator. This job is much more than an administrator. We require a re-classification of our roles. The job is not lucrative enough and we are constantly under-staffed and over worked.” – Keri, Administrator

“Everyone has had major changes over the years in their role, especially with technology but we in admin have been left at the bottom of the food chain. It’s time to be recognised.” – Administrator

“Ambulance Victoria has a duty to not only promote workplace equality but ensure it. The VEOHRC review showed that Ambulance Victoria has a cultural problem of jobs for the boys. They can’t attract top talent and mitigate against attrition with the wages they offer.” – Administrator

ENDS

ENDS 

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