‘Landmark’ allied health pay deal backed by workers
Public psychologists, physiotherapists, radiographers and pharmacists will benefit from a first-of-its-kind deal for better pay and conditions struck with the state government.
The four-year deal includes a total 13.5 per cent wage increase for allied health workers, new allowances to recognise psychologist qualifications and regional incentive payments.
The first pay rise will be an increase of four per cent, backdated to May 2025, followed by raises of 3.5 per cent and then 2.5 per cent.
The deal also includes improved access to professional development allowances, paid parental leave and an additional week of annual leave for workers rostered over seven days.
The deal is the first standalone enterprise agreement for allied health workers in SA, which brings the industry in line with other states and covers more than 8000 workers in the public sector.
It was approved by a ballot of employees, with more than 80 per cent of the surveyed allied health professionals, allied health assistants and psychologists approving the deal.
Of the workers who were eligible to vote in the ballot, more than 70 per cent took part, which the state government said was a huge turnout.
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The deal follows months of negotiations between the Malinauskas Labor Government and worker representatives, including the Health Services Union.
The Health Services Union said they welcomed the ballot results, calling it a “historic outcome that brings South Australia in line with every other state”.
“It is a major win for Allied Health and marks a significant step toward addressing the workforce shortages that have long plagued the sector,” said the Health Services Union SA/NT Branch Secretary Billy Elrick.
In May, the SA Psychologist Association, a sub-branch of the Health Services union, said the industry was on the brink of collapse due to salary disparity between states.
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SA Psychologist Association President Deb McLean said the agreement recognised the value that psychology brings to the public sector and “provides a platform on which to build psychology services into the future”.
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“The real winners are South Australians who need sustainable psychology services in the public sector,” McLean said.
Currently, pay rates for South Australian psychologists, which fall under the Allied Health Professional rating system, are between 10–40 per cent lower than in other states.
Health Minister Chris Picton said this deal demonstrated the government’s commitment to valuing the “unique and important roles” of allied health workers.
“This is a landmark agreement reached between the Malinauskas Labor Government and the state’s allied health workers, including psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, radiographers and medical imaging specialists, podiatrists, radiation therapists, and social workers, recognising the vital work they do across our public health system,” Picton said.
“We are proud to deliver this real wage rise and improved conditions for our valued workers who do so much to care for the South Australian community.”
Industrial Relations and Public Sector Minister Kyam Maher said the deal “delivers real wage rises and improvements to conditions for workers, while being responsible with the budget so we can continue to invest in services for the South Australian community”.
“The wage increase achieved under this agreement is more than double the wage rise the same group of workers received in the previous agreement negotiated between the former Liberal Government and public sector unions in 2021,” Maher said.
The deal will now be lodged with the South Australian Employment Tribunal for approval.
The state government is continuing to negotiate in good faith for new agreements for doctors, nurses, ambos and other public sector workers across SA.
In June, the government offered the SA Salaried Medical Officers Association a minimum 10 per cent pay raise over three years, which the government said delivered a real wage increase above current inflation.
The union’s members voted to reject that offer and instead hold a full-day strike if the government doesn’t come back to the table with a better offer.
United Workers Union members, which includes disability support workers, aged and community care workers, education and health support workers, also took stop-work action in May with fair pay demands.
