The public service union has hit out at the high rate of insecure workers within ACT Health, saying it affects the quality of care given to Canberrans.
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More than a quarter of ACT Health's staff are not employed on an ongoing basis.
According to the latest annual report ACT Health employs 7403 people, with the Community and Public Sector Union saying 1934 of those workers are in "insecure" work.
CPSU acting deputy secretary Brooke Muscat-Bentley said it was "disgraceful" a huge chunk of health workers did not have permanent jobs, causing them financial hardship and anxiety.
She said ACT Health workers were concerned about the increase in temporary work and its impact patients.
"[The union] has consulted extensively with members across the directorate and the key concern identified is the increase in insecure work and the impact this has on providing a quality service to the Canberra community," she said.
“Our members are the backbone of the ACT Health system, working in an enormous variety of roles from pharmacists and dietitians to equipment sterilisers and ward clerks.
"Insecure work on such a massive scale is also bad for ACT Health services and the entire community.
“I’m publicly calling on the minister to give this problem the attention it deserves by meeting urgently with the CPSU to discuss how to improve ACT Health services and treat staff with dignity by giving them secure work.
"A Labor government should be setting an example for how to treat workers, not burying its head in the sand.”
The union said it requested to meet with Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris to discuss the rates of insecure work but was told she was unable to.
In a letter to Ms Fitzharris, Ms Muscat-Bentley said the practices were not in line with the ACT Public Service Enterprise Agreements.
She said several jobs were being advertised on three-month and six-month bases, despite the work being performed required on an ongoing basis.
"CPSU is also becoming increasingly concerned by the conduct of managers in the health directorate,
the lack of transparency in recruitment processes and failure to consult with CPSU about these critical
membership matters," she said.
"We were provided commitments by the directorate that jobs would be transitioned into permanent employment, instead a new raft of non-ongoing jobs have been advertised."
Ms Muscat-Bentley said it was concerning Ms Fitzharris was taking a "hands off" approach in deciding not to meet to discuss.
In a brief response to a number of questions sent to Ms Fitzharris' office, she said:
"The Minister is concerned about the claims raised by the CPSU and will discuss them with ACT Health as soon as possible."
Ms Muscat-Bentley said she was disappointed at the "dismissive" response from Ms Fitzharris, considering her position as a Labor minister.
