Hundreds of hospital support staff have tried to force their way into the offices of Premier and Cabinet as part of a protest against plans to privatise some hospital services.

More than 500 workers banged on the windows of Governor Stirling Tower which houses the offices of Premier and Cabinet.

Police and security guards were forced to lock the doors after the protesters started to push their way inside.

The union representing the workers says a Government proposal to privatise some services at new public hospitals will put patient care at risk.

The union's Carolyn Smith says the fight is not over.

"This is the first of many many ways we're going to be putting pressure on the government," she said.

The Health Department says it will continue to monitor the impact of the industrial action on patient care.

Hospital workers recently won a 7 per cent pay rise over two years and a guarantee that their jobs would not be privatised.

But the union was angry that the agreement did not cover support workers in new hospitals such as Fiona Stanley and Midland hospitals.

At the time, the union's Dave Kelly says he was not happy with the deal.

"The Government had no mandate to be privatising services at Fiona Stanley hospital," he said.

"Our members believe that using private companies to do this work in hospitals will ultimately be more expensive and lead to lower quality care for patients."

WTF are you gibbering about?

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And here is some under an ALP one;

Queensland Health (QH) workers are protesting outside the Toowoomba Hospital in the state's south today demanding better pay and conditions.

The Queensland Public Sector Union (QPSU) has organised the rally because it is unhappy with the State Government's offer of a 2.5 per cent pay increase.

QPSU organiser Dennis Mullins says workers are angry they have not received a better offer after enduring the recent QH pay bungle which saw some employees underpaid or not paid at all.

"The people who couldn't pay them now don't want to pay them," he said.

"They're being offered 2.5 per cent - now 2.5 per cent is less than the expected CPI [consumer price index] increases for the coming year.

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NURSES have walked off the job in hospitals across New South Wales.
Up to 190 hospitals across the state have been forced to scale back their services due to the strikes, which are taking place at different times today.

Nurses walked off the job at 7am (AEDT) in some hospitals in strikes ranging from between two and eight hours, while other strikes are due to start later in the morning.

The NSW Nurses' Association is calling for a major overhaul of the state's public hospital and healthcare system through the introduction of mandated nurse-to-patient ratios.

But after failed negotiations with government over their campaign for a one-to-four nurse-patient ratio, nurses on Friday voted to strike.

The action is taking place despite a ruling by the Industrial Relations Commission that they call off the strike, and pleas from government that they return to the negotiating table.

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South Australian nurses and midwives are taking industrial action after rejecting part of the State Government's offer in enterprise bargaining negotiations.

Nursing and Midwifery Federation CEO Elizabeth Dabars says a pay rise offer of up to 15 per cent over three years has been accepted but a dispute over staffing is unresolved.

She says nurses will shut down a computer system used to calculate staffing levels.

"The response to the claim fails to address staffing levels and skills mix and professional development, all of which are absolutely critical to ensure there is safe levels of care for patients," she said.

Industrial Relations Minister Paul Holloway says he is pleased the wages issue has been resolved but disappointed that industrial action is still planned.

Aussie Skinhead wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2010 at 8:12pm:





WTF are you on about with a fugging nazi eagle and a personal motto of "Reichsfuhrer der Deutsche Reich"??? You are not German, you don't speak German, you live with your parents and have no frigging clue about anything outside your town with the bacon factory.

Whenever a 'real governement that represents Australians' comes to power, it won't be speaking for you, Aussie Sh!thead.

You are still young, get a grip and don't be a smacking nazi fantasist all your life. A goddam seething Queensland nazi skinhead in his mum and dad's suburban bungallow growing his hair back!!!
How smacking pathetic can you be?? Go to school, snotters.


(I say this in a  caring and nurturing yadda yadda yadda)

Aussie Skinhead wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2010 at 8:12pm:


I doubt that will ever happen. We're going from bad to worse in all levels of government. Defend your ideology at the moment Aussie Skinhead - regardless of whether we agree with it or not because you will eventually become disillusioned with our political system and realise there's not much you can do.

Just ignore those trying to bring you down. They've forgotten they were young once too.

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You forgot to attribute that.  mellie has the same problem.  

She also has the tell tale characteristic of making the first couple of Posts on a new Thread.

Verge wrote on Dec 4^th, 2010 at 9:31pm:

Basically because I have low expectations and natoriously bad social skills.