Victorian paramedics are close to signing a deal with the Andrews Government that will make them the best paid in Australia  - and much quieter in the lead-up to the next election.
After helping the Labor party win government in 2014, the paramedics' union is now preparing to sign an agreement with the Andrews Government that gives them a massive pay rise through to   April 30, 2019 - six months after the 2018 election.  
State secretary of the paramedics union Steve McGhie said when their new enterprise bargaining agreement is combined with a 12 per cent pay rise given to them by the newly elected Andrews Government in late 2014, as well as a pay rise determined by the Fair Work Commission, paramedics will be reaping 38 to 46 per cent increases over 4&frac14; years. 
This makes almost all ambulance officers and intensive care paramedics the best paid in the nation.
"Our members are very happy with it," Mr McGhie said, adding that their last pay rise was in 2011. "We're not aware of any members rejecting it".
The final deal, which is likely to be signed off next month, will throw fuel on other industrial campaigns being run by firefighters and nurses.
The nurses' union is threatening to start industrial action from   May 6 if "reasonable" negotiations do not progress.
The 2019 expiry date of the paramedics' new EBA suggests the Andrews Government is keen to avoid another pay dispute with paramedics who were a thorn in the side of the former Napthine government in the lead up to the 2014 election.
On top of campaigning for better pay and conditions for their EBA, some paramedics actively campaigned against the Coalition by door-knocking people in marginal electorates.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Jill Hennessy. Photo: Penny Stephens 
The Labor party capitalised on the dispute, declaring they would "end the war on paramedics" if they won. After the election, the Premier Daniel Andrews gave paramedics an immediate $3000 and six per cent pay rise from   January 2015. This was to be followed by a 3 per cent rise from   July 2015 and a further 3 per cent from   July 2016.
However, the Andrews Government also agreed for paramedics' work to be independently valued by the Fair Work Commission which has resulted in an additional 20 - 28 per cent pay increases.
Mr McGhie said given their current EBA was due to expire in   December this year, the government has also agreed to further pay rises of 3 per cent per year in 2017 and 2018, taking them through to an expiry date of   April 30, 2019.
All up, this amounts to a pay rise of 38-46 per cent over 4&frac14; years depending on the level of worker.
While the government's 2016-17 budget said Ambulance Victoria would receive a 9.2 per cent funding increase, Opposition health spokesperson Mary Wooldridge questioned why the "sweetheart deal" with the union was not included in the budget papers.  
"Daniel Andrews needs to tell Victorians why he has hidden the true cost of his wage deal with the Ambulance Union and if he will be cutting Ambulance services to pay for it?" she said.
A spokesperson for Health Minister Jill Hennessy said because the new agreement will affect future costs, it was not listed in the budget papers. Despite this, she said funding was "in contingency".
"Supplementary funding will be provided to Ambulance Victoria once this has been resolved," she said.