AMA VICDOC Summer 2024 - Magazine - Page 72
G E T I N VO LV ED
AMA Victoria
A win in the fight for fair
pay for junior doctors!
As many are aware, ASMOF
Victoria and junior doctors,
with support from AMA
Victoria, have advanced class
actions against multiple
Victorian health services
over systemic failures to
pay doctors in training
for their overtime.
The Federal Court issued
a major ruling, ordering
Peninsula Health to pay
a $316,260 penalty for
neglecting to compensate a
junior doctor for overtime.
This significant penalty
sends a strong message:
doctors deserve fair pay for
every hour worked, and this
practice of forced, unpaid
overtime must end.
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AMA VI C TO RIA
With ASMOF Victoria,
junior doctors and AMA
Victoria leading the fight,
we are working to uphold
basic legal entitlements
under enterprise
agreements. In its ruling,
the Court highlighted
troubling practices:
— “Peninsula Health was
prepared to expressly
and brazenly instruct
junior doctors to
perform unpaid work.”
— Evidence pointed to a
“highly irresponsible
attitude by Peninsula
Health to its obligations
to pay for unrostered
overtime that it
authorised be worked.”
— Underfunding of public
health services is also
part of the problem,
the Court noted.
A mediation session with
ASMOF Victoria, brave lead
applicants, Victorian health
services, and the State
Government is set for
17 January 2025. We are
hopeful for a global
settlement, but if mediation
fails, we are prepared to
keep fighting in court to
protect doctors’ rights.
You can help by staying
informed, spreading the
word and supporting your
colleagues by confidentially
registering with Gordon
Legal to stay updated on the
Junior Doctors Class Action:
https://gordonlegal.com.
au/.../vic-junior-class-action/.
Let’s stand together for
the rights and futures
of doctors in training
in Victoria. It’s time for
the State Government
to step up!
