FRUSTRATED Mid North Coast healthcare workers walked off the job on Thursday, May 4 at 2pm.

The action at Coffs Harbour was one of three days of industrial stoppages stretching from the Queensland border to the Mid North Coast that also included Tweed Hospital and Lismore.

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The union says that healthcare workers want to see real progress towards giving them the full benefit of salary packaging.

They also want the wage cap lifted as well as a real commitment to reviewing their industrial awards, so they are properly paid for their contribution to the state’s health system.

HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said the wage recession facing health care workers had fostered a crisis in attracting and retaining the workforce.

“There are more than 12,000 vacancies in NSW Health, and there is no time to waste in lifting wages and conditions so that we attract and retain the health workers our state needs,” Mr Hayes said.

“Hard working therapists, wards people, security and catering staff are living through a wages recession – their real incomes are being smashed as the cost of living melts their pay.”

Mr Hayes said it was no coincidence that the union launched the three days of action in the Tweed, because union members there only need to jump across the border to Queensland where they can enjoy superior wages and better conditions.

“NSW Labor was elected with significant expectations,” he said.

“They need to get moving on fulfilling them.”

Union member Mick Kearns told News Of The Area, “The biggest issue is that the state government has yet to come up with a plan about how they are going to remove the salary cap or fill the vacancies.

“They were elected on the back of the promise to improve conditions for public health workers,” Mr Kearns said.

“We’ve had the wage cap for over a decade and we are seeking a plan from the government.”

By Andrew VIVIAN