Some workers at WellSouth will start seven days of industrial action today after what they say is an insulting wage offer.
The strike comes after five months of bargaining between Apex and WellSouth. Apex is a union which represents health industry professionals.
WellSouth says the health industry professionals (HIPs) had had a double-digit wage rise since 2023, well above the revenue gathered.
Apex associate advocate Kerry Appleton said the two groups had been in bargaining for five months, and the same salary offer of only 1% had been on the table since July.
"That’s despite WellSouth receiving a 3% increase in their funding. WellSouth have not shifted their offer an inch on that front since that original offer was put on the table, and we’re really stagnating in this bargaining and not making any progress," she said.
"Elsewhere in the country, similar organisations who have also received a 3% increase in funding have passed this on in full, in stark contrast to WellSouth."
The groups had had five bargaining sessions, including mediation, she said.
The action would start from 8am today and run through to 5pm next Wednesday.
The industrial action would consist of withdrawing from same-day appointments, "warm hand-overs" and patient recall activities. They would continue to see patients who were acutely at risk to themselves or others and required input urgently on the same day.
She said Apex represented about half the professional mental health workers at WellSouth.
WellSouth chief executive Andrew Swanson-Dobbs said WellSouth had been in mediation with Apex over an inaugural collective employment agreement.
HIPs’ roles were patient-facing and they operated from within general practices.
"WellSouth Access and Choice Programme contract revenue has averaged 3.4% (since 2023). Over the same period, WellSouth has provided our team members with an average of an 11.7% increase. This has been due to earlier implementation funding being available, which supported the development of this award-winning service," he said.
"Unlike other PHOs, our geographical spread and rurality affect our programme operating expenses."
WellSouth believed its remuneration, professional development and benefits package were fair, and it had been working in good faith with Apex, he said.
"During the strike action, HIPs will honour existing client appointments but will not see any same-day appointments, which is a core part of the Access and Choice Programme and ensures timely and efficient care for our community.
"We respect staff’s rights to take industrial action."
