Rockhampton Hospital Workers at Risk: Union Warns

Rockhampton residents could soon be worse off under a secret plan by the Queensland Government to hand over important hospital service contracts to big business, warned Paul Howes, National Secretary of the Australian Worker’s Union in Rockhampton today.

The warning follows revelations that the Bligh Government is moving to out source critical hospital services such as cleaning, catering and orderlies work at in the state's public hospitals, putting regional hospitals including Rockhampton Base Hospital at risk.

More than 50 Queensland Hospitals could be affected by the move that would see future funding for all hospital safety and hygiene and local jobs sent to big cleaning and catering companies in Brisbane.

Mr Howes said that the Government's plans to put big business profits ahead of good local hospitals would devastate regional areas, costing local jobs and decent wages.

"The reality is that this plan is bad for frontline hospital workers and bad for regional communities," said Mr Howes.

"We're talking about the workers in our community employed to maintain the highest standards of health and safety in our hospitals - what could be more important?"

"The Queensland Government is proposing to hand over responsibility for maintaining critical services in our hospitals to big businesses that are more interested in making a profit than looking after people's health and wellbeing."

The Australian Workers' Union represents more than 200 frontline hospital workers at Rockhampton Hospital. Some of these workers could lose their jobs and others face a 30 per cent cut to their weekly wages under the proposed big business takeover.

"Our message to the State Government is that Queensland Health workers are the best people to ensure our hospitals are clean and safe - not contractors," Queensland Branch Secretary, Bill Ludwig said.

"Stop these secret plans to send hospital service contracts and local jobs to big cleaning companies based in Brisbane. Local workers and residents in Rockhampton deserve better."

Paul Howes and Bill Ludwig will meet with frontline hospital workers at Rockhampton Base Hospital today, Friday 16 May at 9:30am.