While there is a justifiable focus on wages flat-lining given the rising cost of living and rents, unions must follow the example of New South Wales psychiatrists and doctors who have taken unprecedented strike action over poor working conditions, in addition to wages.
More than 200 New South Wales psychiatrists in public hospitals submitted their resignations over pay and conditions in January, saying chronic staff shortages meant they could not adequately do their jobs.
Doctors in NSW have also taken strike action and while they are also demanding pay rises, they are highlighting the dire need to improve work conditions, describing them as unsafe. They are asking for a guarantee of 10-hour breaks between shifts and a30% pay rise.
As of the Australian Salaried Medical Officers鈥 Federation put it on April 14, 鈥渇undamentally, this is just about making sure the conditions are safe for doctors鈥.
that some are required to work excessively unsafe hours 鈥 16-hour shifts with limited breaks. 鈥淯nsafe鈥 work conditions describes terrible exploitation in the workplace; in a health setting, it means patient safety is compromised.
Australia faces a serious shortage of General Practitioners (GPs), in particular in regional, rural and remote areas. Many GPs face difficult work conditions, because demand is huge, and it means the work is less appealing to young doctors and has made the situation worse.聽
More doctors would mean less waiting time to see one. More doctors would mean a better health care system. It shows how improvements in working conditions and wages are an asset for the whole community, not just the sector in question.
It also demonstrates that if workers鈥 conditions and wages are not addressed the problems intensify.
Another example is the critical shortage of teachers. The federal predicted last year that there would be a shortage of 4100 teachers this year. This is because there are fewer enrolments in teaching degrees and the drop-out rates are significant; only half the students complete their degree.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) said government data shows that about 20% of graduates leave the profession within the first three years and many experienced teachers are leaving before retirement age. The AEU鈥檚 latest research shows teacher shortages at almost 83% of 953 schools. While that is less than last year鈥檚 record highs, it remains at 鈥渁lmost triple historic rates鈥.
The building industry is another example. While more people are being made homeless because of the lack of supply, in particular of public housing, there is also a to build the houses.
do not complete their training, a problem connected to their very low wages 鈥 typically below the national minimum. While they have the same rights, in theory, as other workers, in reality they are at the mercy of their boss/employer and are exploited.
While everyone needs a liveable income, unions must not overlook workers鈥 demands for safe working conditions and improvements. These include shorter shifts for doctors and nurses with longer breaks, smaller class sizes, more time for cleaners to complete their tasks, shorter shifts for train drivers and providing personal protective clothing for fire fighters. These are gains that will last, while wages erode due to inflation.
Sometimes unions regard wage rises as a consolation for failing to achieve improvements in working conditions, and for a quicker resolution to a dispute. As a Victorian AEU branch councillor, we were frequently told by our officials that getting improvements in working conditions was going to be very difficult and to focus instead on a reasonable wage offer.聽
Improvements to working conditions are harder measures to win because they typically involve more spending on infrastructure such as: more school buildings; better fire fighting equipment; and more health resources.
Improvements to workplaces frequently bolster Occupational Health and Safety measures and also have a flow-on effect to the general community. They set improved standards that then often flow on to other sectors of the workforce. The campaign against asbestos in the workforce, which highlighted the dangers of this substance, is one example.
Pushing for excellent working conditions should be seen as investments in a community鈥檚 security and its assets. They end up benefiting us all.
[Mary Merkenich is a聽Victorian Australian Education Union Branch councillor and a member of .]