11 months.
36 bargaining meetings.
2 × 24-hour strikes.
And still no serious offer that members can vote on.
At this week’s strike, some of you couldn’t be there. Exemptions meant there was no way.
We hear you. We see you. Whether you were on the picket line, at a rally, at work under an exemption, or supporting from home… we stand with you.
Because there is no way that no offer is acceptable.
But here’s something important.
Our efforts are working.
And after 11 months, perhaps we need to stop for a moment and recognise just how much we’ve achieved.
A marathon is exhausting. Sometimes you need to stop, take a breath and have a little sugar hit.
So here it is.
Look what we’ve done together:
Membership growth +++ now over 8,000 members.
The first ever allied health strike by many members.
Major metropolitan hospitals finally communicating with staff about respecting protected industrial action, acknowledging our rights and our power.
Stronger connections between professions and between members than we’ve seen in years.
A Government acknowledgement that wage increases may need to reach as high as 50%.
Suddenly, 36.18% doesn’t look so unreasonable.
We’ve shown we can organise, mobilise and build power without needing to become someone else (ie HACSU).
Members have carried this campaign with extraordinary energy, often with limited support from an under-resourced public sector organising team.
We’ve helped create political pressure during a period that has seen a new Premier and two new Health Ministers.
We’ve successfully used member-created posters, signs, window writing and campaign guidance to take our message directly into our communities.
We’ve found ways to make an impact despite extensive exemptions and exclusions… showing that our commitment to patient care doesn’t disappear when we take industrial action.
And by striking, we’ve demonstrated just how much allied health contributes to the Victorian public health system.
The value of that work?
So significant we’re still calculating the number.
And then there’s perhaps the simplest measure of all.
People now know who allied health are.
If you’ve stopped to read the writing on a hospital window, you’ve seen us.
We’ve heard countless stories of patients stopping to talk to us, joining our campaign and telling us they support what we’re doing.
We’ve seen other healthcare professionals stand beside us.
The list goes on.
And that’s why we shouldn’t mistake exhaustion for failure.
We are tired because we’ve been fighting.
But we’re also stronger because we’ve been fighting.
There is power in being an allied health professional.
Power in being a radiographer, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist, social worker, dietitian, pharmacist, psychologist, medical scientist and every other profession that makes up allied health.
And there has never been a more consequential time to be one.
A pandemic changed healthcare.
Inflation has changed what our wages are worth.
Supply chain pressures have exposed vulnerabilities in our health system.
The Fair Work Commission’s gender undervaluation decision has challenged how we value care work.
AI is forcing us to think about what human expertise is worth.
The cost of living is putting pressure on every household.
Political upheaval is reshaping our public services.
And through all of it, allied health has kept showing up.
We have a lot to offer.
We always have.
The difference now is that we are beginning to understand our power.
So yes, 11 months is exhausting.
Yes, 36 bargaining meetings is exhausting.
Yes, two 24-hour strikes are exhausting.
And yes, no real offer is unacceptable.
But look around.
Look at what we’ve already achieved.
This is not the time to lose faith in our collective power.
It is time to believe in it even more.
We know what we are worth.
We know what we have to offer.
And together, we will find a way to win.
Connect with us
Visit our website, instagram, facebook, substack and share with your colleagues.
Comment, like, get in touch with us if you want to get involved and join the fight!
Leave questions on our socials or via our website portal for us to answer in Q&A.
How do I vote? click here for How to vote Pulse
Remember, when it’s time to vote, VOTE VAHPA Pulse to make sure your voice is heard!
