“NSW paramedics: most trusted, least protected, thanks to Mike Baird.”
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These are the words local paramedics chalked up the side of their ambulances last week in response to Mike Baird and his government scrapping the Death & Disability Award.
Local paramedic and Health Services Union (HSU) member, Nathan McEvoy, said the decision to replace the Award with substandard income protection has left NSW Ambulance staff frustrated.
“The Death & Disability Award effectively provided paramedics and their families with security should they be totally or permanently disabled, or even killed in the course of duties,” he said.
“It was great when it was introduced in 2008, now Mike Baird has decided to rehabilitate it, and because of legislation the government put in place at a state level we couldn’t even challenge it in the Industrial Relations Commission.
“It seems like he’s got a very autocratic way of doing things – that’s as a personal perspective.”
The new income protection scheme will see paramedics covered for a maximum of two years should they not be able to work as a paramedic again, or in any occupation.
It means an 80 per cent reduction in the benefits for paramedics who sustain a career-ending injury, with only 25 per cent of the protections currently provided to NSW Police.
Paramedics in the 35-29 year bracket, unable to work in the industry again, will receive $393,420 less than under the Death & Disability Award, and $576,166 less for a career-ending injury.
“We want parity,” Nathan said.
“We’re not asking for a pay rise of more than anyone else can get, we’re just asking for something more equivalent to what the NSW Police get.
“There are inherent risks of our job – we get presented with dangerous situations in our job quite regularly that we have to manage on a job-by-job basis.”
The ambulance was parked at the front of Katrina Hodgkinson’s Boorowa Street Office on September 15, which resulted in the Member for Cootamundra’s office contacting the paramedics to discuss their concerns.
As a result Ms Hodgkinson has agreed to meet with her local constituents today to listen first hand about their concerns.
“We’d love her assistance to have it raised with Mr Baird who to date has refused to meet with HSU delegates,” Nathan said.
Ms Hodgkinson told The Witness: “I’m looking forward to sitting down with them and hearing more about their concerns on the issue.
