- The Australian Medical Association (WA) membership has accepted a Government wage offer for medical practitioners
- The United Workers Union has also accepted a replacement three-year industrial agreement for hospital support workers
- This delivers meaningful outcomes for employees working in the WA public health system
The Cook Labor Government has welcomed the decision by medical practitioners in the WAHealth system to accept terms for a replacement industrial agreement.
Eighty-six per cent of Australian Medical Association (WA) members voted in support of the three-year deal, which will benefit almost 8,000 medical practitioners in the public hospital system.
It includes an immediate 4.75 per cent salary increase, followed by 3.75 per cent in 2025 and 3 per cent in 2026.
The offer also included several new and improved conditions of employment, including recognising general practitioners and rural generalists as specialists, enhancing overtime provisions for doctors in training, and reforming rostering provisions.
Additionally, more than 5,000 Western Australian hospital support workers have accepted a salary offer from the State Government as part of negotiations for a replacement industrial agreement.
In addition to a wage increase of $65 per week in each year of a three-year term, the agreement introduces additional measures to support retention and development including changes and uplift to shift penalties, and expanded access to study leave to better assist workers to build their careers in WA public hospitals.
The Cook Labor Government has now secured negotiated outcomes for over 46,000 public sector workers under the Public Sector Wages Policy Statement 2023 - including WA teachers, TAFE lecturers, VenuesWest employees, transit officers, and hospital support workers.
Government continues to engage with unions in good faith to settle negotiations for other public sector occupational groups.
The agreements were reached under the State Government's principles-based Wages Policy, which came into effect in December 2023.
As stated by Industrial Relations Minister Simone McGurk:
"I'm happy to announce the settlement of these negotiations and thank the AMA for working with the Government to negotiate an excellent outcome for its members.
"These negotiations showed the benefits of the Government's principles-based Wages Policy, which will deliver meaningful outcomes for doctors through overtime and rostering reforms.
"The replacement agreement will apply to approximately 7,800 medical practitioners across the public health system, and it demonstrates our appreciation of their hard work in supporting the WA community.
"I thank the United Workers Union for negotiating with the State Government to get a great deal for hospital support workers.
"This is great news for Western Australia's hospital support workers, who will now get a $65 a week pay rise over the next three years as well as new measures to support development and retention."
Comments attributed to Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"This agreement represents a big win for junior doctors, who are the future of our healthcare system.
"The Australian Medical Association WA and the Cook Government share a commitment to supporting our up-and-coming medical workforce and I thank them for working with us constructively throughout this process.
"We value all our hardworking public sector doctors, and this agreement delivers not only a pay boost, but significant improvements to working conditions."
