The protected action ballot was counted yesterday and Fair Work
Australia is expected to issue an Order in relation to this matter today. The
nurses are required to give 72 hours notice of their intention to take action.
They are hopeful the council will negotiate an improved settlement with ANF.
However if negotiations break down they are able to lawfully take industrial
action in support of their claim after Monday 30 August.
The nurses' industrial action will initially include
administrative bans on electronic diary, work-related emails, submission of
statistics and work-related meetings with Warrnambool City Council. Depending
on the progress of ongoing negotiations the nurses could escalate action to
include:
-
a ban on the three and a half-year old check
-
a maximum of seven half-hour appointments per day
-
a ban on client visits above the 12-month key age stage
-
limiting client baby visits to babies under the age of eight
months.
Warrnambool City Council nurses are at the bottom of the scale
when compared to other maternal and child health and immunisation nurses in
other metropolitan and regional councils where these nurses are paid up to 18.5
per cent higher. The nurses are seeking to restore historical wage parity.
The acceptable industry workload standard for a full-time maternal
and child health nurse is between 125 to 135 birth enrolments. Warrnambool City
Council maternal and child health nurses are responsible for 151 birth
enrolments. The Victorian Government's requirement for councils and maternal
and child health nurses to undertake key ages and stages consultations for
infants is compromised by these excessive workloads. The nurses are also at
risk of illness and injury arising from occupational stress.
Australian Nursing Federation (Victorian Branch) Lisa Fitzpatrick
said: "Nurses only take industrial action as a last resort and the Warrnambool
maternal and child health and immunisation nurses feel they have no choice
because they're working in excess of the acceptable industry standards and are
responsible for more babies and children under six years than any other
maternal and child health nurse in the state. It is concerning for the nurses,
and the babies and children they care for, that there has been no meaningful
workload review.
"To make it worse these nurses are the third lowest paid maternal
and child health nurses in Victoria. Wages will continue to erode as other
councils agree to pay wage increases which will make it extremely difficult for
this regional area to keep and recruit nurses to provide early childhood
services to the growing number of young families," she said.
"These are highly specialised nurses working in the front line of
our primary health care system and they are skilled and experienced in
identifying developmental and speech delay, gross motor problems, autism
spectrum disorder, postnatal depression, and children at risk of injury or
harm. It can make a huge difference to the child and parent when these issues
are picked up early. Early detection can also save the health system and
taxpayers a significant amount of money," she said.
"'They also provide mothers, fathers, babies and their families
with important support, education, advice and referrals at a time when new
parents are particularly vulnerable. This service can reduce and prevent more
serious health and social problems."
Contact
Australian Nursing Federation
(Victorian Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick
Australian Nursing Federation (Victorian Branch) Media
Officer Robyn Asbury
