Up to 35 jobs to be axed

Australian Clinical Labs to slash Geelong workers

DOZENS of Geelong pathology workers are set to lose their jobs after a major local employer outlined its plans to cut staff numbers.

More details emerged this week about Australian Clinical Labs’ intention to significantly reduce its workforce in Geelong, with the proposed changes likely to affect up to 35 full-time employees.

The organisation yesterday stressed the number was an “estimate only”, adding that the “majority” of proposed changes related to non-scientific departments.

But the Medical Scientists Association of Victoria has slammed the cuts as “unsustainable”, claiming it would represent a 40 per cent reduction in local staff numbers.

MSAV secretary Paul Elliott said it appeared ACL’s core lab in Geelong would bear the brunt of the changes.

“The core lab includes all the main pathology services — it’s the big one, if you like,” he said.

“There’ll be a very large number of staff come out of it and a large number of medical scientists.”

It comes as the company prepares to meet the union at a Fair Work Commission conciliation meeting on Monday.

Mr Elliott said, while workers were feeling “despondent” about the situation, there were also concerns about the impact on patient safety.

“They’re alarmed for their job security personally, but also concerned and alarmed about what this means for a pathology service, which is, after all, a scientific endeavour,” he said.

“They are really concerned it will deteriorate and there will be risks with patient safety as a result.

“This is a really significant cut in numbers … It’s unsustainable. Scientists are saying they just won’t be able to do the work.”

Clinical Labs is the pathology provider for Barwon Health and has a network of 40 collection centres throughout the region.

Earlier this month, the organisation said its planned changes were driven by multiple business imperatives.

It cited a desire to meet the “changing pathology needs” of the Geelong community, an intention to remove duplicated administration services, and plans to create a “sustainable” service in the local area.

But Mr Elliott accused Clinical Labs of twisting the truth.

“This has got nothing to do with delivering pathology services, this is all to do with finding operational costs and making savings, regardless of the impact it has,” he said.

“This is a company in a desperate situation to save itself — and workers and the community are paying the price.”

Clinical Labs has said it plans to implement the changes next month.