Calvary Hospital cleaning staff have called off a third strike as their employer has offered "significant" pay increases bringing them on par with their Canberra Hospital colleagues.
Calvary cleaners walked off the job twice in recent weeks calling for a pay rise, and were initially offered an "insulting" increase from government contractor Compass Medirest of 5 cents per hour from their rate of $22.02.
Calvary Hospital intervened in discussions after workers walked off the job for a second time last Wednesday.
"The following Friday the cleaners received a significant increase to the initial wages offer made by Medirest," United Workers Union director of property services Lyndal Ryan said.
Read more:
-
Canberra Hospital forced to divert ambulances after dramatic increase in patients
-
'Working from home is more like living at work': Employees doing more unpaid overtime
Ms Ryan said the latest offer of $23.07 would make their pay equivalent to Canberra Hospital workers. Ms Ryan said the agreement also included significant increases to penalties.
Calvary cleaning staff wages have not changed for almost three years and are $3 lower than their counterparts at Canberra Hospital.
Mr Ryan expected the final agreement would be ready for union members to vote on by tomorrow and if successful would come into effect from November 30 and be paid out a week before Christmas.
"When you've been waiting so long and had to fight so hard to get it delivered before Christmas is important," Ms Ryan said.
She said the offer, which came after months of negotiations was a testament of the worker's dedication.
"They stayed together, they overcame their fears to take industrial action," Ms Ryan said.
"They knew the employer would be unhappy about it ... but they understood they didn't really have much of a choice."
