As you know, HACSU’s AHPs across the state overwhelmingly voted to reject the government’s offer which would’ve risked more AHPs leaving Tasmania.

Your colleagues that make up the HACSU Allied Health Sub-Branch Executive unanimously endorsed the immediate recommencement of industrial action.

And none of that has changed.

But what has changed is that the government have now made an offer ensuring you get the headline pay rise that was part of the offer, and that any pay rise now or into the future is payable from 1 December.

AHPs who work in a service that is reduced or closed over Christmas will also be entitled to the Christmas closedown days. However, we know this will be an issue in health, where a lot of your services will never be closed or reduced.

The agreement also expressly states that HACSU members are free to continue to pursue the rest of our claims while still getting the headline wage increase and a guarantee of backpay.

HACSU members just won – and then we get the chance to win again.

It’s a strange but positive story indeed.

But it’s still important that we continue to campaign. We must show how important these issues are so we can convince the government it’s time to do more to improve allied health.

We’ll be out and about including over the break to talk to any of you that are working and to make sure you know exactly what’s happening.

If you have any questions, please contact HACSUassist on 1300 880 032 or via email at assist@hacsu.org.au