Vic: Hospital union happy at renewed talks after blockade

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2000
Vic: Hospital union happy at renewed talks after blockade

MELBOURNE, Feb 16 AAP - Hospital workers who blockaded a hospital kitchen say they
are pleased with renewed talks with management over their industrial grievances.

The workers barricaded themselves in the kitchen of the Monash Medical Centre yesterday
morning, forcing breakfast for patients to be brought from outside.

The employees returned to work after agreeing to the talks.

"We will enter this two-week period of negotiation with the Southern Health Care Network
management in good faith," Health Services Union state secretary Pauline Fegan said.

"But this dispute should put on notice all hospital managements and the state government
that the staffing issue in the cleaning and kitchen areas of our public hospitals is a
major problem," she said.

"Our members have been holding up a crumbling system for too long, and they are no
longer prepared to put patient care, or their own health and safety at risk any longer
because of inadequate staffing levels."

Work bans on duties, including collecting rubbish and linen, transporting patients
and food, making beds and washing dishes, have plagued the entire Southern Health Care
Network, including Dandenong Hospital, since last Thursday.

The bans, introduced over staffing and safety issues, forced the postponement of all
elective surgery at Monash and Dandenong.

But several hours of discussions in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission
yesterday resulted in union members voting to lift the bans.

The parties agreed to begin conciliatory talks, reporting back to the commission on February 29.

AAP gf/er/rsm

KEYWORD: MONASH DAYLEAD

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