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Summer 2003

Oral Health staff needs still not met

The ongoing saga of the appointment of dental assistants to positions following an agreement between HACSU members working in oral health and the Department is continuing.

The dispute has become a prominent example of the Department showing poor faith in the implementation of agreements, and refusing to take action to solve problems within health professional areas.

It was way back in March this year that oral health members called off their industrial campaign after agreement was reached on a proposal for the permanent funding of 18.9 Dental Assistant positions.

Months went by, and as of September, only three positions had been advertised.

According to the agreement, twelve of the positions should have been filled by that time.

Upset and angry oral health staff members were forced into threatening further industrial action to ensure the agreement was honored with the immediate appointment of more staff.

HACSU Assistant Secretary, Tim Jacobson, said the actions or inaction of the Department in such situations was serving to further demoralise staff, deepening the crisis amongst health professionals.

"Oral health members called off their campaign in good faith. They had been working under adverse conditions.

They expected their agreement to be honoured. It wasn't," Tim Jacobson said.

"What happened was that nothing occurred in relation to a number of positions.

Either somebody was deliberately stalling, or just couldn't get it together."

"The message has to get through that issues like this are obviously very important to the retention as well as recruitment."

"Government Ministers and senior Department people have to lay down the law and make sure issues are addressed and that there is clear follow through."

"There's nothing that demoralises people more when there has been an industrial dispute, with agreement finally reached, and then there's nothing's acted on."

STOP PRESS

HACSU Worksite Committee Member Elisabeth Lamond, Tim Jacobson and HACSU State Secretary Chris Brown have met with the Minister and Angie Byrom to discuss concerns regarding the advertising of positions and other matters.

The Minister apologised for the delay in filling positions and was extremely critical of those within the DHHS responsible for the delay. He agreed to increase casual and part-time dental assistant hours immediately to increase the ratios to the levels agreed.

The Minister also agreed the Oral Health Service will take immediate steps to fill dental therapist vacancies. In the first instance OHS management will seek expressions of interest from part-time staff to increase their hours on a permanent basis.

HACSU is seeking agreement that the remaining positions be advertised once this process has finalised.

HACSU also made it clear to the Minister that we were less than impressed with the approach taken by OHS management with regard to 1:1 ratios and lack of genuine consultation with HACSU.

HACSU looks forward to sitting down with management and continuing to work through issues on members behalf on a more productive basis.