The future is now: About 40 nurses and midwives crowded into Shepparton’s Parklake function room to hear their enterprise bargaining agreement for the next four years.
Photo by
Nicola Ceccato
Victoria's nurses and midwives, inducing some based in Shepparton, have taken their first step towards industrial action in their fight for better pay and conditions.
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On Thursday, March 21, members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation's Victorian branch voted to apply for a protected industrial action ballot at the Fair Work Commission.
They rejected an offer of a three per cent pay increase across four years and a one-off $1500 payment for full-time staff.
The meeting was broadcast from the ANMF Victorian branch’s site in Melbourne to seven satellite venues in Victoria including Shepparton, which saw about 40 nurses and midwives present.
Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said too many workers had become casuals due to rostering issues, with the union pushing for measures to incentivise them to stay on full-time contracts.
Ms Fitzpatrick said walk-outs were a "last resort" option.
The union leader likened the current situation to conditions in the late 1990s under the Victorian Kennett government, which implemented significant public sector cuts.
The last time nurses and midwives staged walk-outs was in 2012 under a Coalition government.
Hundreds of nurses in red T-shirts attended an enterprise bargaining agreement meeting in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon.
Almost 123,000 registered nurses work in Victoria, an increase of 15,000 since 2019, but the federation claims there are still problems filling shifts.
Their current agreement is due to expire on April 30, with negotiations under way between the union, the Department of Health and the Victorian Hospitals' Industrial Association since October.
As the industrial relations organiser for the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian branch), Kim Pentreath represents nurses and midwives in the Goulburn Valley region.
Ms Kim Pentreath said she was proud to see many from Shepparton present today.
“It’s great to see the members from the Shepparton region and for them to be heard through the range of claims put forward,” she said.
“Following on from a rough four years our nurses have had, the claims really encapsulate what our members want to see improved regarding working conditions.
“It’s been designed to try to retain and strengthen our workforce.”
– with AAP
Seen and heard: Local nurses and midwives listened to the meeting.
Photo by
Nicola Ceccato
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