Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association

Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association
Founded June 2012
Predecessor HSU East
Members ~5,000
Affiliation ACTU, HSU
Key people Craig McGregor, Secretary
Cheryl O’Connor, President
Andrew Hewat, Assistant Secretary
Office location Ground Floor, 351 William St, West Melbourne, Victoria 3003
Country Australia
Website vahpa.asn.au

The Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA) is a trade union in the state of Victoria, Australia. VAHPA forms Branch No. 3 of Health Services Union Victoria (HSU Vic).

VAHPA has around 5,000 members covering professionals working in allied health professions in both the public and private healthcare sectors[1]. Generally speaking, the areas of work that VAHPA covers are degree qualified.

History

VAHPA originally formed a large amalgamation of the HSU New South Wales and HSU Branch 1 and 3 in Victoria, known as HSU East. Following the HSU expenses scandal involving former HSU union leaders Craig Thomson, Michael Williamson and Kathy Jackson; in June 2012, HSU East was put into administration and demerged by the Federal Court into separate branches, with all elected positions declared vacant.

The following month, Branch 3 was rebranded as the Victorian Health Professionals Association (VHPA) as the union's leadership wanted to distance itself from the HSU.

Five months later, in November 2012, a rank-and-file ticket, called 'Clean Sweep', stood for and won all elected positions in VHPA.

In July 2015, the union adopted its current name and branding.

Governance and structure

VAHPA is governed by a Branch Committee of Management (BCOM) which is elected directly from and by the union membership [2]. The last round of elections took place in June of 2018.[3]

Affiliations

VAHPA is affiliated to the Australian Council of Trade Unions. It is also affiliated to the Health Services Union National Council, where it sends delegates.

The union is not affiliated to any political party - though it has made donations in the past to Greens and socialist candidates in local, state and federal elections. It donated a total of $6,500 to the Victorian Socialists.

Campaigns

VAHPA has been active in campaigning around community health, both for better wages and conditions for community health workers as well as better government funding for community health more generally.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "VAHPA - Professions we cover". Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA).
  2. ↑ "VAHPA - Branch Committee of Management (BCOM)". Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA).
  3. ↑ "VAHPA Elections Completed: Clean Sweep Returned to Office". Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA).
  4. ↑ "VAHPA Community Health Campaign". Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA).
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