MEDIA RELEASE: Allied Health workers sold out in proposed new enterprise agreement

MONDAY 30 JUNE 2025

ALLIED HEALTH WORKERS SOLD-OUT IN PROPOSED NEW ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 

A separate enterprise agreement for the allied health sector will strip workers of fundamental working conditions, the Public Service Association (PSA) has warned.

The PSA is urging the state’s 6,500 public sector Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and Allied Health Assistants (AHAs) to stand up and vote “no” to the State Government proposal when voting starts today.

PSA General Secretary Natasha Brown said the agreement had been brokered in secret by the government, the Health Services Union (HSU) and some bargaining agents, and sold allied health employees out.

“Do not be fooled by the HSU’s endorsement and propaganda – this is a very bad deal for the allied health sector,” she said.

“The government spruiks its commitment to bargaining in good faith, all while colluding with the HSU to orchestrate an agreement which will delete workers’ rights with the stroke of a pen.

“Their proposal is deplorable and represents the biggest sellout of staff conditions in the history of South Australian public sector industrial agreements.”

Under the proposed agreement, AHP and AHA staff would be:

    • Stripped of basic working conditions such as job security, workload protection, consultation, dispute resolution.

    • Required to work across a seven-day a week roster, with only three months’ notice and no recourse.

    • Trading an inadequate, inequitable and divisive wage rise for diminished working conditions.

    • Locked in a system without employer accountability.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO PSA GENERAL SECRETARY NATASHA BROWN

“It’s a very dark time in the history of South Australian public sector industrial agreements.”

“This offer has been presented under the guise of a modest pay increase, but it comes at the price of essential and fundamental working conditions.”

“If the government was truly committed to a fair deal for allied health, it would have negotiated openly and fairly with the unions representing its workers.”

“Instead, it has deliberately kept the PSA in the dark and worked with the HSU to broker a deal that will only serve to erode the working futures of 6,500 Allied Health Professionals and Assistants working across South Australia’s public sector.”

“Despite its promises of fair negotiations, the government is in direct breach of the legislative requirements for negotiating in good faith.”

“We also wonder why the government is trying to ram this agreement through so quickly. Allied Health staff have only been given seven days to vote on the offer. This is simply not enough time to consider something that has significant and long-term ramifications on conditions and pay.”

“The HSU’s statement that there would be `no reduction in terms and conditions’ is demonstrably and blatantly untrue.”

“South Australian AHPs and AHAs deserve fair representation and a fair deal.”

“It’s imperative they vote NO to the government and HSU offer of a separate AHP/AHA agreement.”

[Ends.]

For all media enquiries, please contact

 PSA Communications Officer

 Louise McCabe on or  Laura Thomas on (08) 8205 3264.