SOCIAL workers at community health centres in Melbourne's outer east took industrial action last week in a bid to push for better pay and work conditions.
Workers at Eastern Access Community Health, based in Ringwood, stopped work for two hours to pressure the State Government
to give them parity with their equivalents in the public health system.
Australian Services Union assistant branch secretary Lisa Darmanin said EACH counsellors delivered various support programs, including gamblers help, drug and alcohol support and bushfire relief.
She said they lagged significantly behind their public health counterparts, in some cases by more than 30per cent.
"However, negotiations have stalled as a result of government funding policy. Despite repeated requests from the union, Health Minister Daniel Andrews has, to date, refused to meet the workers concerned to discuss their situation.
"Because of the way the Victorian Government has approached this, employers' hands are tied. If our members accept the current offer, not only will they not come any closer to their goal of equality but they will fall even further behind.
"That means communities suffer, as services struggle to recruit and retain workers."
A State Government spokesman did not respond before deadline.
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