Industrial News 2008
August 2008
ANF members battle to save nursing awards
The future of your nursing award is under threat because of a united campaign by other unions (Health Services Union, Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union and the Australian Workers Union) and a number of aged care employers to replace nursing awards with generic industry awards.
The federal government has requested the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) review state and federal awards and create new modern awards. The AIRC is seeking the views of unions and employer groups in this process.
The ANF believes the best way to protect nurses' wages and conditions is by having a nursing award. This is supported by the ACTU who have publicly supported the continuation of awards specifically covering the occupation of nursing. However some unions and employers argue that nursing should be brought into general awards covering particular industries such as aged care.
The ANF believes that industry awards would disadvantage you and reduce patient and resident care standards.
Historically, nurses have had their own awards and there are good reasons why this should continue. Nurses work across a range of settings and in the past awards have recognised this. As a profession, nurses strongly identify with each other regardless of the sector in which they work. This community of nursing approach also serves to make nurses a clearly and identifiable group of employees.
Nurses have common professional, industrial and pay issues – including:
- workload management tools;
- scope of practice;
- classification and career structures; and
- recognition of service;
ALL OF THIS IS NOW AT RISK!
If the other unions and aged care employers get their way nurses will be forced into generic industry awards with non-specific career structures and minimum conditions of employment. ANF is calling on all nurses to help save their award by:
1. Signing the petition
ANF is circulating a petition calling on the AIRC to reject the other unions and employers’ push to scrap nursing awards and to ensure that nurses' minimum wages and employment conditions are protected by nursing awards. The petition can be downloaded here or signed online and is also available from your Branch.
2. Raise the issue with your employer
Hold a meeting, resolve to defend your award and tell your employer. Remember your employers' representative may be telling the AIRC to replace your nursing award with a generic industry award.
Nick Blake
ANF Senior Federal Industrial Officer