A landmark enterprise agreement between the South Australian Government and public sector allied health workers has now been approved by the South Australian Employment Tribunal and is in effect from this week.
The four-year agreement provides annual pay-rises and better conditions, recognising the important work that allied health employees do right across South Australia’s health system, providing them with a wage rise above inflation – a total increase of 13.5% over the life of the agreement.
Other conditions also include improved access to professional development allowances, a new allowance for psychologists, regional incentive payments, paid parental leave and an additional week of annual leave for those rostered to work over seven days.
It is the first time that allied health workers have had their own separate enterprise agreement in South Australia, in line with other jurisdictions across the country.
“The wage increase achieved under this agreement is more than double the wage rise received in the previous agreement under the former Liberal Government in 2021,” said Industrial Relations Minister, Kyam Maher.
“I am pleased to see this fair deal will deliver a real wage rise for our allied health workers, who do such important work in the community.”
The Allied Health Professionals, Allied Health Assistants and Psychologists Enterprise Agreement covers more than 8,000 workers across the public sector including psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, radiographers and medical imaging specialists, podiatrists, radiation therapists, and social workers.
“This is a fair deal for South Australia’s allied health professionals and assistants,” said Health Services Union SA/NT Branch Secretary, Billy Elrick.
“We’re grateful to have been able to negotiate this agreement with the State Government, and to have done so in good faith.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the State Government to ensure allied health workers are appropriately recognised and remunerated for their contributions to the public health system.”
The agreement was endorsed by more than 80% of employees who took part in a ballot last month, following months of good-faith negotiations between the Malinauskas Government and worker representatives including the Health Services Union.
