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14-Mar-08 10:10 [Asia Pacific]
Australian hospital workers dispute has end in sight An industrial hearing has been called as efforts are made to stop potential strikes by hospital workers in Australia.
The hearing has been scheduled by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and will rule whether it is legal for workers to walk out of hospitals.
Members of the Health Services Union are considering strike action but the hospitals are applying to end the bargaining period, which would make industrial action illegal and force more talks between the two sides.
If the talks did not result in an agreement after 21 days the commission would then decide the matter.
Teachers in Australia are also threatening strike action. Teachers in the mid-north coast have said they will strike over proposed changes to the way schools in the area are staffed.
Wayne Webber, local organiser of the teachers' federation, said that if the government does not listen to the profession then teachers will be left with no alternative but to "continue with a long and sustained campaign of political industrial action".
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