QLD Residents, it is time to help your Paramedics

[geckoGT]

Ok, I could potentially get in the deep proverbial at work but desperate times call for desperate acts so here goes. According to my work Code of Coduct, I am not allowed to discuss this issue with the media, but this is not the media so I will take the risk.

The paramedics of QLD are at this moment in negotiation with the QLD Government regarding our new EBA which will be in force for the next 3 years.

The Paramedics are asking for a pay rise that is in line with inflation, to occur every year over the next 3, I am sure you will all agree that is pretty fair. The state government has offered us a flat 3.25%, an increase that does not even bring us back to our previous financial position of 3 years ago during the last EBA (not even enough to cover inflation over the past 3 years).

During the last three years paramedics have seen a massive increase in workload, less crews on road and enormous increases in skills and responsibility (to the benefit of the QLD people). With all this extra pressure, not one pay rise. For our overly generous $23.56 per hour (plus shift allowances) QLD Paramedics are expected to make life saving decisions, place themselves in danger, train junior student paramedics, study in order to further education and skills and endure often long shifts with little or no rest breaks. Of course we do this, not because of the huge financial benefit (there is none) but because of our caring and compassion for those that need us. Don't get me wrong, the average paramedic is motivated, dedicated and has a true passion for his/her job but hates the conditions.

This situation of poor pay is leading to a number of problems. I am sure there are many more than what I have listed but this will give you the idea

1 Paramedics are increasingly leaving the service to find employment elsewhere, not through greed but necessity. This results in losses of experienced paramedics in the service. Think of this, each paramedic takes 3 years to train and a lot of money, losses that are not easily and cheaply replaced.

2 More paramedics are finding themselves having to do more overtime shifts in order to make ends meet at the end of the fortnight. This is resulting in extreme personal, physical and emotional stresses on the paramedic and thus greatly increasing fatigue, ill health and reducing professional longevity.

3 A large number of paramedics are moving to rural areas for better income which leaves the metro areas with critical staffing shortages (hence why we can volunteer for so much overtime, I personally average 20-30hrs per week). These staffing shortages are being addressed by importing trained Paramedics from the UK rather than trying to keep the ones we have.

We are not asking to be paid a fortune for doing nothing; all we are asking is to be paid fairly for what we do. We save lives, but we barely get paid more than a manager at Mc Donald’s. QLD Ambulance Service is one of, if not the lowest paid in Australia for on road serving Paramedics.

So why am I writing this, to get the word out there in about the only way I can. Please, for the health of your ambulance service, start taking interest in this matter. If you see what I am saying and agree, help us out. We can not strike, we can not take out any form of meaningful industrial action, because if we do people will die and it is not in our nature to do this. The Government know this and that is why our cries for help are never heard at government level, we need the people of the state to be our voice.

If you find this situation distasteful, write to the Minister of Emergency Services or your local member and make your voice heard, it is your ambulance service and it will be there when you need it.

Those of you in other states, take interest in your own Ambulance Service, you are their voice, just as they are there to help you.