1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,320
Speaker 1: We know that hundreds of Northern Territory hospital support workers

2
00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:07,480
Speaker 1: are preparing to walk off the job in well coming days. Now,

3
00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,320
Speaker 1: the United Workers Union says that cleaners, caterers, personal care assistance,

4
00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,800
Speaker 1: and medical imaging staff are going to take that protected

5
00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:19,959
Speaker 1: industrial action of installed enterprise Agreements talks. Joining me on

6
00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,200
Speaker 1: the line is Erina Early from the United Workers Union.

7
00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:24,080
Speaker 2: Good morning to you.

8
00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,560
Speaker 3: Erina, Good morning Katie. How are you?

9
00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, really good? Thank you so much for your time.

10
00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:33,760
Speaker 1: Now, Erina, tell me who are we expecting to take

11
00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:38,400
Speaker 1: this protected industrial action and when's it going to kick off.

12
00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:45,040
Speaker 3: So we've got it scheduled for Monday, seventeenth of November

13
00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,080
Speaker 3: at eleven o'clock. So this will be all the hospitals

14
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,919
Speaker 3: across the Northern Territory. So we're going to see the

15
00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:58,960
Speaker 3: hospital workers such as your cleaners, your catering staff, the

16
00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:04,480
Speaker 3: personal cares distance, we've got security officers, we've got biomedical,

17
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:10,319
Speaker 3: we've got sterilization, we've got medical imaging and more are

18
00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:15,000
Speaker 3: going to be taking engaging in this action on the seventeenth.

19
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,440
Speaker 1: So it's planned for next Monday, the seventeenth of November

20
00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:19,480
Speaker 1: at eleven am.

21
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,000
Speaker 2: What's it going to look like, what will they be doing.

22
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,000
Speaker 3: They'll be walking off the job for an hour, So

23
00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,000
Speaker 3: just an hour, just an hour. They just want to

24
00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,040
Speaker 3: send a message to say we're going to walk off

25
00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:38,280
Speaker 3: for an hour. They're feeling very, very positive about this

26
00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,160
Speaker 3: because they saw that they're being not heard, they've been undervalued,

27
00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:44,800
Speaker 3: so they want to do a short walk off and

28
00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,960
Speaker 3: then that will be in preparation for longer walk offs.

29
00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:49,920
Speaker 1: And so, I mean, I was pretty fired up about

30
00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:51,880
Speaker 1: this on Friday because I thought to myself, like, I

31
00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,120
Speaker 1: get it right. We all want to be paid more

32
00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,000
Speaker 1: and we do need to be valued in our workplace,

33
00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,000
Speaker 1: and I would never dispute that. But we were experienced

34
00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,400
Speaker 1: seeing those code yellows last week as well, and I

35
00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:04,760
Speaker 1: just thought, this is not the right time.

36
00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,720
Speaker 3: Well, I can understand, you know, people feeling that way,

37
00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,320
Speaker 3: but also to you've got to remember, these are the

38
00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,080
Speaker 3: workers who're working under these conditions of employment. It's not

39
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,800
Speaker 3: just always about wages, Katie. We've got work health and

40
00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:26,280
Speaker 3: safety issues here. We've got attraction and retention issues. As

41
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,240
Speaker 3: you know. We've got a health crisis with the code yellows,

42
00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,720
Speaker 3: but that crisis as well involved the workforce, and they're

43
00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:34,320
Speaker 3: not happy.

44
00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,560
Speaker 1: So, first off, it's going to be Monday, eleven am

45
00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,880
Speaker 1: for an hour. How many are we expecting, like, how

46
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,519
Speaker 1: many workers are you anticipating you're going to be taking

47
00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:44,560
Speaker 1: that industrial action?

48
00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,600
Speaker 3: Nearly close to one thousand workers across the NT So close.

49
00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:50,680
Speaker 2: To one thousand are they all?

50
00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,000
Speaker 1: Are they all based at our major hospitals or where

51
00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:54,800
Speaker 1: are they based?

52
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,120
Speaker 3: So we've got Ardie h We're going to have Parmise,

53
00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,040
Speaker 3: Then we're going to have Alice Springs. He's going to

54
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,080
Speaker 3: Catherine Tenet Creek.

55
00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,560
Speaker 1: And go what kind of impact do you think it's

56
00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,959
Speaker 1: going to have on our healthcare system for that hour?

57
00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,240
Speaker 2: Is it going to bring it to its knees?

58
00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,400
Speaker 3: Well, it could significantly cause some destruction. But that's what

59
00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,600
Speaker 3: protected action is, Kate Sabi is. But the thing is

60
00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,160
Speaker 3: as well, you've got other people are going to be

61
00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:26,600
Speaker 3: supporting these other workers to ensure the safety of all patients,

62
00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,200
Speaker 3: because that's always a priority of our members.

63
00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,639
Speaker 1: Erona, what do you say to those people. I've already

64
00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,480
Speaker 1: got people messaging in this morning, you know, saying that

65
00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,520
Speaker 1: they're waiting ninety minutes for an X ray. You know

66
00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,000
Speaker 1: they are struggling to get into the health system. As

67
00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,240
Speaker 1: it is, what do you say to them as they're

68
00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,200
Speaker 1: listening this morning and maybe feeling quite angry about this.

69
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,080
Speaker 3: Well, the thing is they're waiting those times because they

70
00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,560
Speaker 3: don't have enough start and this is some of the

71
00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,840
Speaker 3: things that people are walking off for and are getting

72
00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,960
Speaker 3: angry about, Katie, because we don't have the best train

73
00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,880
Speaker 3: and retention, so we don't have the best people here.

74
00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:05,000
Speaker 3: We're understaffed.

75
00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:10,120
Speaker 1: So what exactly do these workers what are they after

76
00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,800
Speaker 1: as part of these negotiations, the pay negotiations.

77
00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,400
Speaker 3: Well, they want to ensure that they've got good work

78
00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:19,760
Speaker 3: health and faith in conditions. They want to ensure they're

79
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:24,039
Speaker 3: getting the correct minimum breaks as well so they're not exhausted.

80
00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,359
Speaker 3: They want to ensure that they've got good fatigue management.

81
00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,279
Speaker 3: They want to ensure too that they're actually got a

82
00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,719
Speaker 3: real wage increase and growth. As you'll know, under the

83
00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:39,080
Speaker 3: previous government they had a wage free which impacted a

84
00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,400
Speaker 3: lot of these workers. So they've actually had no real

85
00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:44,920
Speaker 3: wate growth over the last four or five years.

86
00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:46,760
Speaker 2: So how much are they after.

87
00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:54,360
Speaker 3: Well, our members have actually have revisited they're claims and

88
00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,440
Speaker 3: they would like to see what the police got. That

89
00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,720
Speaker 3: is a benchmark now for the public sector, is police

90
00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:02,440
Speaker 3: got five four, three and three.

91
00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:07,080
Speaker 1: I mean no disrespect in any way to cater as, cleaners,

92
00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,080
Speaker 1: you know, radiographers, whoever else it may be that is

93
00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,680
Speaker 1: taking this industrial action. But do you think they deserve

94
00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,279
Speaker 1: the same increase as those frontline workers?

95
00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,520
Speaker 3: They're frontline workers as well, they're essential workers. They're the

96
00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,520
Speaker 3: backbone of the health system.

97
00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,200
Speaker 1: What happens if there is no movement here? Eron, I like,

98
00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,200
Speaker 1: what where do you think this is going to land?

99
00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,240
Speaker 1: If the government sort of said, well, you know it's

100
00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,960
Speaker 1: three percent three percent over I think it was three years.

101
00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:37,840
Speaker 1: What happens if they don't move.

102
00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,400
Speaker 3: Well, that comes down to both sides of the table,

103
00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,960
Speaker 3: Ukti is the government have their strategic plan they use

104
00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,359
Speaker 3: and then the workers as well. We could have a

105
00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,159
Speaker 3: long drawn our EA negotiation.

106
00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,480
Speaker 1: Erina, what do you say to those listening this morning,

107
00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:59,919
Speaker 1: you know they're maybe thinking that this is a greed

108
00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:01,240
Speaker 1: the move.

109
00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,479
Speaker 3: Well, I'll be disappointed if people think it's greedy, because

110
00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:09,000
Speaker 3: everyone seems to attack the worker instead of actually attacking

111
00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,000
Speaker 3: the actual issue here that we do have a problem

112
00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,960
Speaker 3: in the health services and our workers are actually taking

113
00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,520
Speaker 3: action because they want a better health system. Now people

114
00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:21,520
Speaker 3: can't see that. I am really disappointed.

115
00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:23,880
Speaker 1: Can you tell me as well, like give us some

116
00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,560
Speaker 1: perspective in terms of the workers that we're talking about

117
00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,080
Speaker 1: that are going to be taking this protected industrial action?

118
00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,960
Speaker 1: How do their wages compared to other states?

119
00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:39,279
Speaker 3: Okay, so are public sector workers so you know, housekeeping,

120
00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:44,640
Speaker 3: your cleaners, your catering, et cetera. Are probably just underpath.

121
00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,960
Speaker 3: So we're probably in the top four or five in Australia.

122
00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,560
Speaker 1: Okay, so we're top four or five, but you reckon,

123
00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,560
Speaker 1: we need to go better if we want to be competitive.

124
00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,080
Speaker 3: Absolutely, we really need to be competitive because these are

125
00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,800
Speaker 3: the jobs that a lot of people don't want, especially

126
00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:04,240
Speaker 3: in your housekeeping, your catering, etc. We want to get

127
00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,440
Speaker 3: these people here. They should be fully starffed because they're

128
00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,160
Speaker 3: critical jobs in the health service.

129
00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:16,000
Speaker 1: So Erina, eleven am. Next Monday, the Protected Industrial Action

130
00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,480
Speaker 1: is going to be kicking off. Do you reckon there's

131
00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,320
Speaker 1: going to be any movement between now and then? Are

132
00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,320
Speaker 1: you expecting the government or anybody to sit at the

133
00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,040
Speaker 1: table with you guys?

134
00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,920
Speaker 3: Well, at the moment, we do have the Fair Work

135
00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,120
Speaker 3: Commission dispute that's happening this week with all the public

136
00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,600
Speaker 3: sector union. Unfortunately, can't talk too much about it, Katie,

137
00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,560
Speaker 3: but they're in discussions all this week, so hopefully we

138
00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:42,800
Speaker 3: might be able to have a positive outcome by the

139
00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:43,440
Speaker 3: end of the week.

140
00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,000
Speaker 1: All right, Lerena, you and I might be talking again

141
00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,400
Speaker 1: over the coming days. I really appreciate your time. Thank

142
00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:50,520
Speaker 1: you very much for having a.

143
00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,760
Speaker 2: Chat with us stage. Thank you Gray, You two