Fifty-three mental health workers at Warrnambool Base Hospital will walk off the job between noon and 2pm on Wednesday to protest low wages and poor working conditions.
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The "stop work" action is part of a statewide protest by the Health and Community Services Union, which is in drawn-out negotiations with the Victorian government over a new enterprise bargaining agreement for mental health nurses and allied health workers.
"The current wages and conditions are absolutely unacceptable," local HACSU official Lisa Andrew said.
Ms Andrew said the government was refusing to come to the table in the negotiations, which began in May 2020.
"We never wanted it to get to this stage (but) this is the second-longest negotiation we've ever had."
Asked how the temporary loss of 53 staff would affect mental health services, including 15 acute mental health beds at the already understaffed hospital, South West Healthcare declined to comment.
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Ben Silvester
Correspondent covering key issues across regional Victoria, based in Melbourne.
Correspondent covering key issues across regional Victoria, based in Melbourne.
