5 May 2020
The ANMF (SA Branch) has hit back at State Health Minister Stephen Wade’s comments in Parliament relating to (his lack of) support for casual health workers.
The Minister was asked in Parliament by MLC Emily Bourke if he could confirm how many casual public hospital nurses were (going) without pay.
“I don’t know the answer to that,’’ Mr Wade responded. “Is she suggesting that we should be giving guarantees of full employment to casual staff?
“That’s not something that a so-called Labor Government ever thought was appropriate … so why do you think suddenly that the laws of economics and public finance have turned upside down.’’
This statement is in contrast with the Federal Government’s action in ensuring casual staff of private hospitals were paid from 1 April if the hospital entered into a contract to support the public health emergency created by the COVID-19 outbreak. Ironically these contracts were put into place by Minister Wade’s SA Department for Health and Wellbeing – the same department refusing to pay their own casual nurses and midwives.
Minister Wade’s comments also contrast sharply with the situation in Victoria where the Andrews Government’s Department of Health and Human Services issued advice directly to all public health sector entities aimed at supporting casual (and part-time) employees whose weekly hours and patterns of work may have been disrupted by COVID-19.
The Victorian Department of Health directed that health services should, effective from 1 April 2020, remunerate affected employees for the equivalent of their average earnings over the last 12 months (or a shorter period if they have not been an employee for 12 months). The department said this would ensure that employed staff remain available for any coronavirus (COVID-19)-related or other work during this uncertain time.
The “employee stability payments” will last until elective surgery restrictions have been completely lifted (or otherwise as directed by the Victorian department). The arrangement applies to all casual staff employed directly by the public health service on a regular and systematic basis. This includes clinical and non-clinical staff across any work functions. There is no minimum weekly-hours requirement for those employees to qualify for this support.
“We call on the Marshall State Government to follow the Victorian Government’s example and provide our casual health force with the financial security they need during these turbulent times,’’ ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj. Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM said.
“The Victorian Government said the key premise of the employee stability payments was to ‘avoid disadvantage to’ affected employees,’’ Ms Dabars said. “Their directive applies to all public health services.
“If it is good enough for Victoria then why not here?’’
To further support casual employees, the ANMF (SA Branch) has embarked on a campaign urging State and Federal Governments to guarantee an additional 15 days of paid special COVID-19 leave for all nurses, midwives and personal carers whose ability to work has been affected by the coronavirus.
“Casual workers are often in a very precarious situation and the COVID-19 pandemic has left many struggling to make ends meet. They, like all frontline workers, deserve to be supported through these extremely uncertain times,” Ms Dabars said.