Allied health workers cite increasing costs of living in wage claim

Speaking outside the Launceston General Hospital, Health and Community Services Union assistant state secretary Lucas Digney was joined by Northern allied health professionals.

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One of those people was HACSU union delegate and Launceston General Hospital Acute Care Team physiotherapist Alison Mclean, who said working conditions at the hospital had declined, while pay had stagnated.

"We're really fighting for recognition - pay for a fair job that we do," she said.

"We're working so hard to get people out of hospital, to help people recover from their illnesses and recover from their injuries just so that they can return home."

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Like many others, Ms Mclean said the state's allied health professionals were struggling with the rising cost of living and were calling for a pay rise that would allow them to manage increasing workloads.

"It is so hard every day we go home and there's work that we leave and that we haven't been able to finish... It's a real stress for us personally," she said.

"We need to keep up with inflation.

If we can't look after our own kids, if we can't provide for our family, If we can't pay the petrol to get into work each day, then we can't help get people out of hospital."

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Mr Digney said the union submitted their claim to the Department of Premier and Cabinet on Friday morning and were hopeful negotiation would begin within a few weeks.

"We've lodged that with the State Service Management Office at DPAC and we've asked that negotiations commence within a month of today, hopeful they'll be receptive to us," he said.

"The government knows the value of allied health - without question.

"Allied health professionals keep people out of hospital and they get them out of hospital quicker."

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