A BENDIGO paramedic says the new pay deal with the state government will put an end to a "very draining" industrial dispute.
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State councillor for the Ambulance Employees Association Brett Adie said yesterday's agreement on a $3000 sign on bonus, six per cent pay rise from January 1 and subsequent three per cent rises in 2015 and 2016 was a "huge relief".
"It's been a long time and there's been a lot of really bad water under the bridge in the last two years," Mr Adie said.
"It's nice to have a government prepared to listen to what we've actually had to say.
"We've had an employer and a government that has driven us into the ground, so morale was as low as I've seen in 20 years."
Mr Adie said the previous government was not prepared to listen to paramedics about problems with the system and listened instead to bureaucrats who painted a "rosy picture".
"This new government wants to be able to sit down with us and say, 'right, what can we do to fix these problems'."
Mr Adie said the pay deal made up for inflation since the last pay rise in August 2011 but that more pay rises could come following a Fair Work assessment.
The new government has requested that the independent Fair Work Commission conduct a "work value case" to determine how much Victorian paramedics should be paid.
The outcome of this case, expected to begin in April, could mean a higher pay rise will follow in 2015.
Mr Adie said paramedics don't do their job for the money but fair pay would mean less resentment.
"Any employer knows that employees work better when they're happier."
Mr Adie is most excited about the consultative committee - to address response times, ramping and paramedics’ workload - which Labor promised it would establish within the first 100 days of government.
"We are actually going to be able to sit at the table with the decision makers and say, 'this is why this is not working'," Mr Adie said.
He said the pay deal and the Labor government's promises of consultation showed the positives of the union movement.
"We aren't thugs, we're just people who were fighting for our rights.
"What I'm proudest of through the whole thing is during that two years we were able to bring to the public's attention the problems with the ambulance service.
"The biggest thing for me is that it shows that if people are prepared to stand up and are prepared to work together they can get the outcome they deserve."
There are about 60 paramedics in Bendigo and another 80 surrounding towns.
- with The Age