We have taken the first steps in the new award negotiations with the Ministry of Health and NSW Health Pathology! 

Our negotiations are being facilitated by John Murphy, a former Commissioner of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. Prior to the discussions commencing, both the Union and the Employer prepared a paper outlining its position. You can view the HSU’s position paper at this link, which was developed based on the experience and views of union members. The paper was provided to NSWHP and the Ministry of Health on 31 March 2023. Importantly, this is just our starting point and can be further refined and added to as negotiations proceed. Following representations from the HSU, the employer has now distributed its position paper.

An initial pre-meeting discussion occurred on Friday, 21 April 2023. The key points from that meeting were:

1. The meeting was primarily about procedural aspects and planning the negotiations.
2. The HSU, the Ministry of Health agreed that the Hospital Scientist and Technical Officer awards need reform and are willing to work together on that process.
3. As a first step, the HSU, the Ministry of Health and NSWHP agreed to meet for half a day on 16 May 2023 to work together on developing a new classification structure for the award. This will be followed by further facilitated negotiations. A delegation of members will participate in that meeting.  

The HSU believes that genuine negotiations must be transparent and open. We are committed to ensuring that our members are informed and involved during the negotiations. This includes both HSU official and member/delegate representation in the discussions.

If you want to get more involved, join the Hospital Scientist Industrial Committee or Technical Officer Industrial Committee today (you can do so by simply emailing [E-Mail not displayed]). The committees are made up of members and meet at least once per month to work on this and other important matters. Make sure to also attend future statewide meetings and keep talking about this important work with your colleagues.

The more Hospital Scientists and Technical Officers that are part of the union, the more the union can achieve. If you have colleagues who haven’t joined yet, talk to them today. New members can join at www.hsu.asn.au/join or call 1300 478 679.