Qld:Talks still on to head off health sector chaos, says Beattie

00-00-0000
Qld:Talks still on to head off health sector chaos, says Beattie

Queensland Premier PETER BEATTIE says his government will do all it can to head offa planned 24-hour strike by non-nursing hospital staff at the end of the month.

Talks this week have failed to resolve the dispute by non-nursing staff at the state'shospitals over a six per cent a year pay claim over two years after months of rollingstoppages and work bans.

Queensland Council of Unions secretary GRACE GRACE says 32,000 Queensland Health employeeswill vote next week on stepping up industrial action.

She says they could declare August 29 a 24-hour stoppage after the government's failureto raise its pay offer from 3.5 per cent a year.

Mr BEATTIE says Industrial Relations Minister GORDON NUTTALL and the government hopesto resolve the issue before August 29 and will continue to negotiate.

Radiation therapists also expect to strike for five days from next Wednesday, forcingthe cancellation of about 1,000 routine procedures.

Mr BEATTIE says if talks fail to resolve the issues the government will go to the QueenslandIndustrial Relations Commission to seek an order preventing the strike.

AAP RTV rad/sc/ldj/rp

KEYWORD: HEALTHWORKERS (BRISBANE)