Walkout at RPH over job cuts
Patient care at Royal Perth Hospital could face disruption today as support workers walk off the job in protest against plans to axe about 110 full-time positions at the hospital.
United Voice has called a 1pm meeting after learning of the job cuts, which are expected to affect up to 140 full and part-time cleaners, orderlies, catering staff and general hands.
Union assistant secretary Pat O'Donnell said the stop-work meeting could disrupt services such as cleaning.
"This government has gone silent on what is happening to hospital jobs," he said.
"Vital services at our major hospitals are being stripped back and we are looking at 140 jobs being lost at Royal Perth alone, and that's a fairly big reduction in staff at one hospital alone.
"WA is a growing State and hospitals should not be losing services."
Mr O'Donnell said the union had been told the job cuts would take effect by February 28.
"It's really disappointing because they could have been engaging with us around this consultation a long time ago, about how this was going to affect staff," he said.
South Metropolitan Health Service chief executive Frank Daly said health services in the south metropolitan area were changing because of the opening of Fiona Stanley Hospital.
RPH would have 450 beds instead of 660 and this would mean fewer patients and a change in non- clinical staffing levels.
"It is anticipated that approximately 140 permanent cleaners, orderlies, catering and general hands staff will require support to find alternative positions in WA Health," Professor Daly said.
"Our priority will be to place all permanent staff in positions within the metropolitan health service."
Professor Daly said permanent positions had been quarantined at other hospitals such as Rockingham and Armadale, and transition payments were being offered if non-clinical staff took up jobs with Serco at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Permanent staff would remain WA Health employees and they were being notified of the changes.
He expected little disruption to RPH patients today.
