ANMF (Vic Branch) statewide public sector nurses and midwives EBA members meeting
Thursday 21 March 2024, 2PM – 3.30PM
ANMF (Vic Branch), 535 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
plus 7 satellite venues in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mildura, Shepparton, Traralgon, Warrnambool
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MEDIA INVITED TO ATTEND (please note these are approximate times only) 1:30pm Buses bringing nurses and midwives will arrive at ANMF (Vic Branch) 535 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne and seven regional venues (contact Robyn Asbury for details). 2pm Statewide meeting commences. Media is invited to hear formal speakers, streamed from the Melbourne venue, but will be asked to leave for the discussion. Media will be invited back in for the nurses’ and midwives’ vote. 3.30pm (approx) ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick available at the Melbourne venue to answer media questions.
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Victorian public sector nurses and midwives will attend a statewide meeting on Thursday 21 March to hear a report from elected union officials about their enterprise bargaining negotiations. Negotiations are between the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch), the Department of Health representing the Victorian Government and the employers’ representative the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association.
Negotiations on behalf of ANMF’s approximately 60,000 public sector members began in October 2023. The current 2020-24 enterprise agreement expires on 30 April 2024.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registration figures show a net increase of more than 16,000 Victorian nurses and midwives over the last five years.
While the workforce has increased, filling rosters remains challenging because nurses and midwives are reducing their hours and moving from permanent to casual employment.
ANMF members are seeking a range of claims designed to retain, recruit and rebuild our early career and experienced nurses and midwives.
Claims include about 15 new or improved financial incentives to reward working additional hours and unpopular shifts and retain a permanent workforce. They also include the introduction of financial disincentives for unpopular employer rostering practices such as redeployment, excessive reliance on overtime and missed meal breaks. Many of the claims, endorsed by our delegates, would flow only to permanent staff.
About 30 per cent of most nurses’ and midwives’ pay comprises allowances and penalty rates which are on top of a base rate. The ANMF members’ claim does not specify a percentage wage claim, but it does seek that wages and allowances recognise the government’s wages policy, and at the same time address issues such as gender equity, cost of living, retention, increasing permanent employment, interstate/territory competitiveness and other considerations.
Read the Victorian public sector nurses’ and midwives’ 2024 EBA log of claims: https://anmfvic.asn.au/EBA24claim
ENDS
Contact details:
Robyn Asbury 0417 523 252 or rasbury@anmfvic.asn.au (including for regional meeting details)
