Tue 16 Jun 2026 at 10:07amTue 16 Jun 2026 at 10:07amThe 24-hour strike will involve allied health professionals at Victorian public hospitals. (ABC News: Natalie Whiting)In short:Allied health workers at Victorian public hospitals have walked off the job for 24 hours over a pay dispute with the government.The union representing the workers says they want a 36.18 per cent pay rise over three years.The government says negotiations are continuing in good faith.Disruptions are expected at Victorian public hospitals today as thousands of allied health workers walk off the job over a pay dispute.Radiographers, sonographers, physiotherapists, podiatrists, speech pathologists and social workers will participate in a 24-hour strike from midnight on Tuesday.The union representing allied health workers said the industrial action came after protracted bargaining and "insulting and disrespectful" wage offers from the Victorian government.More than 13,000 allied health professionals will be covered by a new Public Sector Enterprise Agreement being negotiated.The union is seeking a 36.18 per cent wage increase over three years.The Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA) said it was the first time allied health workers had taken 24-hour strike action.VAHPA executive officer Andrew Hewat said allied health workers were a "largely forgotten workforce"."We want a wage offer and conditions that the allied health professionals deserve," he told 774 ABC Melbourne.Andrew Hewat said the government's offers had been "insulting and disrespectful" to allied health professionals. (Supplied)"At the moment they're just being completely disrespected and the offer that did come through recently — only after we announced we were going to take industrial action — falls far short of the mark."We need to be able to compete with our colleagues interstate and we're far behind them and we also need to address some of the shortfalls in terms of our career classification structures."Allied health workers are due to march to state parliament at lunchtime on Tuesday.The union says urgent care staff will remain on the job during the strike action.A Victorian government spokesperson said negotiations between the parties were continuing in good faith.