2011 EBA Upate No 48

The Baillieu Government has applied for an urgent Federal Court hearing to seek Orders from the Federal Court, on the basis of alleged breaches of the Fair Work Australia ‘stop' Order issued last week.

The Orders are sought in an attempt to force ANF Members to end their industrial action.

The hearing will commence at 10.15am tomorrow (Tuesday) morning and we will keep members updated with progress.

Rolling Stoppages to commence Tuesday 28 February 2012

Given the failure of the Baillieu Government to allow our dispute to be fully resolved by Fair Work Australia, the following Hospitals will commence daily rolling stoppages of up to 4 hours on the morning shift, and up to 4 hours on the afternoon shift:

Further details concerning these workplaces have been issued this morning: www.anfvic.asn.au/campaigns/news/42013.html

Rolling Stoppages continue

Up to 1800 nurses and midwives have continued or commenced with the stoppages this morning at the following facilities:

These daily stoppages will continue indefinitely, and additional hospitals will be joined to the action on each day that the dispute remains unresolved. Night shift staffing levels are to be maintained at all times.

The exact duration, starting and finishing times of the stoppages will be determined by the ANF Job Reps at that hospital, as will any exempt areas.

Baillieu's World

These stoppages represent what the ANF is being asked to agree to, as confirmed by Baillieu Government negotiators on 15 December 2011.

This was also reported in the Herald Sun on Wednesday 22 February:"The document, seen by the Herald Sun, outlines the circumstances under which the Government wants to win the right to override nurse-to-patient ratios, including where hospitals are struggling for money or staff.

The official plan, which was presented as a secret proposal by the Victorian Hospitals' Industrial Association during confidential Fair Work Australia hearings with the Australian Nursing Federation, also calls for nursing assistants to be used as an alternative to fully trained staff to meet the ratios.

Details of the proposal emerged at the same time Health Minister David Davis wrote an open letter to the state's nurses saying he did not want to abolish nurse-to-patient ratios."

Full details concerning the Baillieu Government proposal can be found in EBA Upate No 45 issued on Friday 24 February 2012.

Next group of hospitals to participate

The next hospitals to join the stoppages will be announced on Tuesday morning, 28 February 2012.

Nurses and Midwives Hardship Fund and community support

ANF (Vic Branch) advises that the Nurses and Midwives Hardship Fund has received, and is continuing to receive, many donations from members of the Victorian community who respect the work that nurses and midwives do, and respect the commitment and sacrifice that members are making to ensure Victoria retains a high quality public health system.

Many nurses and midwives face having their pay docked for participating in the stoppages. Nurses, midwives and mental health nurses who are not directly involved in the stoppages are encouraged to donate to the Hardship Fund. You can do so by:

• EFT payment:    Account name:     ANF (Vic Branch) Victorian Nurses Welfare & Hardship Fund
  BSB:             083 266    Account No:          859680424
• donating online at https://anfvic.wufoo.com/forms/z7p4x5/ using a paypal account
• dropping into ANF (Vic Branch) offices at at Level 5, ANF House, 540 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne (across from the Vic Market), or

• by cheque or credit card by downloading the form at http://tiny.cc/lw2kj. Cheques should be made payable to ‘ANF (Vic Branch) Victorian Nurses Welfare & Hardship Fund' and mailed to: Box 12600 A'Beckett Street PO, Melbourne Vic 8006.