The Pay Negotiations You Haven’t Heard About (Yet)
Everyone has heard about the ongoing industrial dispute between medical professionals and the NSW government. But I have been watching closely the development of negotiations between the Health Services Union and the NSW Government on the broader Allied Health Award. Below I was privileged to interview William Woods, President of the Lived Experience Peer Workforce sub-branch within his health district on these processes.
Simon: What is the HSU’s role in representing the lived experience workforce in NSW? What’s your role at the HSU?
Will: The Health Services Union (HSU) is a member-driven union representing all lived experience (LE) peer workers in NSW Health. Through health district-based sub-branches (committees) and the statewide Lived Experience Peer Workforce Industrial Advisory Committee, peer workers actively advocate for the workforce. This state-based committee has been the driving force behind the creation of our own industrial Award, as part of the Allied Health Award reform campaign, alongside colleagues in psychology, social work, and occupational therapy and other professions.
The HSU has a strong history of advocating for both health workers and the communities we serve. A prime example is the relentless advocacy by paramedics, which has been instrumental in securing better pay and conditions for emergency services. This model of collective action resonates deeply across NSW.
In terms of my roles within the HSU:
I serve as the President of our LE Peer Workforce sub-branch within my health district. This committee meets regularly to discuss local workforce issues, and its representatives attend Union Consultative Committee meetings with mental health executives to ensure peer worker concerns are heard.
I’m also an executive member of the statewide LE Peer Workforce Industrial Advisory Committee, contributing to key efforts in our fight for a workforce framework and industrial Award. This includes advocacy for a classification structure, pay rates, supervision and training entitlements, and broader universal entitlements such as extra annual and sick leave.
I have recently been elected as a Union Councillor for my health district, meaning I now sit on the Board of Directors for the NSW HSU, where we regularly meet to guide union decisions at a higher level.
As a union delegate, I have represented members in parliamentary inquiries into mental health, met with MPs to discuss workforce issues, and spoken in media appearances on behalf of HSU members.
This journey has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s something I never expected to be a part of. I’m deeply grateful to contribute to the broader movement of unionised health workers advocating for change.
Simon: What are the key matters being negotiated at the moment?
Will: The industrial Awards for all Allied Health professionals, which are decades old and outdated, are currently being renegotiated. Each profession has member-driven committees leading the charge in updating:
Classification structures
Pay rates
Universal entitlements (such as extra leave provisions)
Other claims (if needed)
This is a massive undertaking, and we are fortunate to have a highly competent team of industrial advocates supporting our committees throughout the process. The HSU and its members truly embody the principle of “Nothing about us without us”—ensuring workers are at the forefront of decision-making.
Simon: What are the emerging priorities for the lived experience workforce in NSW?
Will: From a union perspective, our top priorities include:
Finalising our new classification structure, pay rates, supervision, and training claims. These reforms will impact all Lived Experience Workers in NSW Health.
Advocating for a Lived Experience Peer Workforce Framework. This had been sidelined for nearly two decades until our Industrial Advisory Committee met with the Minister for Mental Health, Rose Jackson. Following that meeting, we saw significant progress, with the NSW Ministry of Health prioritising its development.
Recently, our members reviewed an 86-page draft of the framework, and after voting in support, it is now set for implementation. This is a major milestone, and with any luck, our own Award will soon follow
Simon: Where can people—especially lived experience workers—learn more?
Will: If you’re a Lived Experience Worker in NSW Health, consider:
Joining the HSU
Contacting your local organiser (call the union to find out who they are)
Getting involved in your local committee (sub-branch)
Becoming a delegate (HSU provides training during work hours using trade-union leave)
Being actively involved is a rewarding experience, filled with both challenges and invaluable learning opportunities. My advice?
Try to listen more than you talk.
Ask questions when you don’t understand something.
Recognise that our power comes from collective action and decision making
You’ll often find unexpected allies and supporters in this work, which is what makes our movement so strong. Our Industrial Advisory Committee will continue long after the Award reforms, as there will always be more battles to fight.
If you’re an HSU financial member, you can join our statewide committee by reaching out via email at:
📩 peersupportworkerscommittee@hsu.asn.au
Here is a link to our claim that we will be presenting to the Ministry of Health - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr1XdIlw9dY
