A formal offer has been made by the Tasmanian State Government to the Health and Community Services Union to finalise the long-running ambulance workers pay dispute. The 2 per cent a year increase will be backdated to 2014 – the last time ambulnace staff received a pay rise – and expires in mid-2018. Until last week, negotiations between the union and Government had reached a stalemate, resulting in paramedics writing messages on ambulances. Health Minister Michael Ferguson said the pay offer was in line with the Government’s wages policy and was fully budgeted. “The Government has always sought to negotiate in good faith and this result demonstrates that,” he said. “It is important to note that this offer comes in addition to the 14 per cent pay rise paramedics are receiving as a result of the Work Value Claim, which the Government resolved last year after a long-running dispute.” Mr Ferguson said he looked forward to HACSU accepting the offer and an end to the industrial action.
