RADIATION therapists at Canberra Hospital will walk off the job and protest for an hour from 2.45pm on Tuesday afternoon.

They say the ACT government refuses to negotiate a pay deal that will keep them in Canberra.

“Radiation therapists are not a nice-to-have, they are a must-have,” says Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes.

“It’s hard to fathom why the ACT government is dragging its feet on this issue. Does it actively want to drive these radiation therapists to Queensland, where the wages are higher, the housing is cheaper and the workforce is more respected?”

He says Queensland recently awarded radiation therapists an interim 25 per cent wage rise as they wait for the determination of a work value case that will recognise the increased complexity and skills required to do the job.

“Canberra Hospital has already lost 19 radiation therapists in the last few years, from a workforce of about 50. That should be ringing alarm bells in the corridors of power,” he says.

“Radiation therapy is not something you want to leave to good luck. These workers are highly skilled, and absolutely critical to patient care. They deserve respect and a competitive salary.”