Archived Industrial News: March 2007

Fair outcomes for nurses under threat

Central to the establishment of fair wages and conditions for nurses is the principle that nurses should be paid on the basis of the skill, education and experience they have gained in their nursing career as a whole, rather than only in the nursing sector in which they are currently employed.

Ten years of enterprise bargaining agreements has certainly tested this proposition particularly in the aged care sector where the wages and conditions of many nurses have fallen behind their colleagues in the public and private sectors.

However, the real threat now to achieving fair outcomes for nurses is the Howard government’s industrial relations laws. Not surprisingly some employers in the health and aged care sectors are taking full advantage of these one-sided laws and are using the opportunity to force through non-union agreements.

A recent example (see below) in the aged care sector provides a blunt reminder that nurses must be vigilant and soundly reject any attempts by employers to impose agreements which result in a loss of wages and conditions. This means making sure all nurses are members of the ANF and work together to protect their rights and improve wages and conditions.

ANF negotiations with Retirement Care Australia (RCA)

RCA is a large employer in the aged care sector owned by a consortium headed by Macquarie Bank. The ANF commenced negotiations with RCA in 2006 for a national union collective agreement to cover its facilities in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

Negotiations broke down between the parties late last year and the employer withdrew from negotiations deciding instead to pursue a non-union agreement. In February this year the employer proceeded with a formal ballot of all employees seeking approval for the agreement.

The ANF and other union parties campaigned against the agreement, opposing it on the basis that it offered inferior wage outcomes and significantly reduced existing conditions. For example it reduced or removed a number of entitlements including overtime; on-call; annual leave; long service leave; consecutive days off; potential loss of ADOs; as well as proposing the removal of existing nursing classification structures.

Just over half the employees voted in the process. Of those who voted, 52% supported and 48% opposed the agreement. In numerical terms just 13 votes resulted in the agreement being accepted. The 48% who opposed the agreement are now stuck with it for the next three years. Many of these people will now look for work elsewhere in workplaces that will treat them more fairly.

The ANF, will continue to represent the interests of our nursing members in RCA facilities and to work with nurses and the employer to secure fair outcomes. We will also build our capacity in workplaces to ensure unfair non-union agreements remain the exception.

Nick Blake
ANF Federal Industrial Officer