Victorian doctors avert strike with interim deal

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 08:32 · Archive

Doctors in Victorian public hospitals cancelled a planned 12-hour strike after reaching a 12-month interim agreement with the state government.

Doctors at Victorian public hospitals were scheduled to stop work for 12 hours from 7am on Wednesday, but cancelled the strike after the Australian Medical Association of Victoria reached a 12-month interim agreement with the state Labor government led by Ben Carroll.

The deal includes changes to doctors' working hours and addresses overtime for doctors in training. Kevin Shi, secretary of the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (ASMOF) Victoria, said doctors had secured improvements to hours of work and doctor fatigue after protracted negotiations. However, he stated the agreement 'falls far short of doctors' expectations', with 'much more that needs to be done'.

AMA Victoria president Simon Judkins said the interim agreement would help protect patient safety but did not address systemic understaffing and doctors' pay concerns. He said the Victorian government must provide 'a package of pay and conditions that effectively competes with other states and territories' to attract and retain doctors. Both unions indicated the matter remains unfinished and committed to ongoing negotiations.

How it is being reported

• Strike cancelled after doctors reach last-minute dealA temporary deal between doctors and a state government will prevent health workers from walking off the job, but a longer-term solution remains out of reach.The West Australian · 20 Oct, 08:08
• Strike cancelled after doctors reach last-minute dealA temporary deal between doctors and a state government will prevent health workers from walking off the job, but a longer-term solution remains out of reach.Perth Now · 20 Oct, 08:08

In this story: Victoria · Australian Medical Association of Victoria · Ben Carroll · Kevin Shi · Simon Judkins · Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation

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