NSW paramedics secure major pay rise after bitter dispute with government
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Published December 13, 2023
The Guardian, 13 December 2023
Health union and Minns government agree to average wage increase of 25% for paramedics after months of negotiations
Paramedics in NSW will get a significant pay boost after months of negotiations finally led to a deal between a major union and the state government.
The bitter dispute has plagued the Minns government for more than eight months as paramedics pointed to higher salaries offered to their colleagues in the ACT, Queensland and Victoria.
After a series of late-night talks, the government announced on Wednesday they had struck a deal with the Health Services Union for an average pay rise of 25% over four years.
Increases will range from 11-29%, depending on the paramedics’ level of experience.
The rises will include a boost to the base salary for year-six paramedics from $79,737 to $88,082 from the start of next year, an upfront increase of more than 10%.
Paramedics in NSW will get a significant pay boost after months of negotiations finally led to a deal between a major union and the state government.
The bitter dispute has plagued the Minns government for more than eight months as paramedics pointed to higher salaries offered to their colleagues in the ACT, Queensland and Victoria.
After a series of late-night talks, the government announced on Wednesday they had struck a deal with the Health Services Union for an average pay rise of 25% over four years.
Increases will range from 11-29%, depending on the paramedics’ level of experience.
The rises will include a boost to the base salary for year-six paramedics from $79,737 to $88,082 from the start of next year, an upfront increase of more than 10%.
The agreement will cost around $500m, part of which is to be funded through savings from within the health portfolio, the government said.
HSU NSW’s secretary, Gerard Hayes, said paramedics had fought for proper professional recognition and “salary justice”.
“Our paramedics are highly skilled professionals who exercise fine clinical judgement under incredible stress,” he said.
“Their work saves lives. Finally they will be paid for it.”
The deal needs to be confirmed by the industrial relations commission, where the parties entered mediation on Monday.
Both sides wanted to avoid a catastrophic breakdown in services after thousands of union members vowed to allow their paramedic registrations to lapse from 1 January next year.
The state’s health minister, Ryan Park, previously warned such action could cripple triple-zero services during new year celebrations, putting pressure on the government to reach a speedy deal.
Earlier in discussions the union rejected an offer that the government said would have lifted salaries by an average of 19% over four years.
But the complex offer did not match base pay for Queensland paramedics and would have left NSW workers short-changed, the HSU said.