21 September 2022
The ANMF (SA Branch) will be calling on members to consider the need for action unless a fair offer is put on the table by the State Government in the coming days.
Public Sector 2022 Enterprise Agreement negotiations are continuing and so far we are unhappy with the failure of the State Government negotiators to make any formal offer or proposals.
ANMF (SA Branch) Exec. Director, Operations Rob Bonner said a pay rise of three per cent or more per year was needed to be comparable to recent increases secured interstate. This is in addition to some of the one-off attraction and retention payments paid in a number of states.
“We have told the other side that time is running out fast,” Mr Bonner told members at an EBA update at the Royal Adelaide Hospital this week.
“We have been clear that any offer that doesn’t have at least a three in front of it is off the table.
“The current wage levels are completely unacceptable given the cost-of-living pressures moving forward. Everyone has their mortgages and other costs that are going up on a daily basis; wages need to as well.
“If we are not in a position where, in early October, we have something that is moving us forward then we need to start campaigning for a fair and just outcome.”
Ratios, Reward and Recognition has been the theme throughout negotiations.
Mr Bonner said it was hoped the new agreement would improve existing staffing models.
“We received a commitment from the current Government before the state election to implement legislated ratios by the end of their first term but that is still three years away,” he said.
“What we wanted to do with this round of bargaining was to move us towards the ratios model that currently applies in Victoria and Queensland.
“We know that some hospitals and health services are fiddling with the current system.”
It is also hoped the agreement will also address “through the roof” fatigue levels amongst nurses and midwives.
The ANMF (SA Branch) wants the break between overtime and a worker’s next shift to be increased from eight hours to 10. We have warned the employers that, if they fail to implement these measures, we will need to explore prosecution of employers that are placing staff and patients at risk with current arrangements.
We are also calling for at least a two-day period within each fortnightly roster period where management are disallowed from contacting staff about extra shifts or overtime opportunities, unless given permission to do so.
Mr Bonner said violence against health staff is also of grave concern.
"We are insisting there are strategies built into the agreement that require all the LHNs (Local Health Networks) to implement the 10-point plan,” he said.
“Victoria has had it in place now for about three years and it is showing great promise. So, we have picked up and adapted their strategy, the Health Department is now working with us to do an audit of all the LHNs.”
Staff shortages, particularly in regional South Australia, are well documented and we are negotiating for incentives to be written into the agreement to address this problem.
And while the end to free car parking for some hospital staff was announced earlier this year, Mr Bonner said we are negotiating for concessions.
“Our preference is for free car parking to stay as has been during the COVID-19 pandemic but at the very worst we are asking for it to go back to the system prior to 2011-12 which is where people used to pay an amount, around 30 dollars a month, for a car parking permit and that was the way of controlling numbers,” he said.
ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM hosted the update session at the RAH and said we need to seriously consider moving towards campaigning.
“The ideal would be that we do get an actual offer on the table, that the offer is good, and we are back with you talking about what that looks like,” Ms Dabars told members.
“But we may need to move to the next phase.
“You are worth it. We have had enough of people calling nurses and midwives heroes and giving you rounds of applause; the State Government needs to put their money where their mouth is.
“You are working really hard, you are making the system run, they cannot do it without you and you deserve to be recognised and rewarded for what you do.”
For updates on the Public Sector negotiations, you can CLICK HERE.
For a list of the Log of Claims you can CLICK HERE