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Winter 2006

Health Professionals Update

The argument between HACSU and the State Government as to who ought to be included in the Health Professionals Agreement continues.

HACSU has put the case for the inclusion of Community Corrections Officers, Prison Programmes Professionals and Forensic Scientists under the HP Agreement in the Tasmanian Industrial Commission.

HACSU Assistant Secretary Tim Jacobson said, "these workers are clearly health professionals. They do the same work as other health professionals and many of them have the same kinds of qualifications. It's a joke that the Government wants to exclude these groups"

The State Government has been arguing that HACSU's attempt to include additional occupational groups constitutes an 'extra claim' which is outlawed in the HP Agreement. They also argue that Community Corrections Officers, Prison Programmes Professionals and Forensic Scientists do not meet the definition of a 'health professional' used in the Public Sector Union Wages Agreement.

The Commission has conducted one day of site inspections and six days of hearings with an additional day of hearing set down for 13 August.

It is expected that the Commission will make a determination on whether these professionals are health professionals, and therefore eligible to make a claim to be paid according to the HP Agreement.

It is hoped a decision will be handed down some time in late August or early September.