Industrial News: April 2010

Nursing to help lead recovery in pacific region

While much has been written about the impact of the global financial crisis on Western economies, including Australia, very little has been written about our close neighbors in the Pacific region.

The reality is that many Pacific island countries have been hit particularly hard by the global financial crisis. Those countries heavily reliant on overseas tourism and Western aid have suffered to such an extent that some governments are now finding it increasingly difficult to provide basic services including health care and education.

In many Pacific island countries unemployment has now skyrocketed leading to increasing levels of lawlessness and uncertainty across the region. The International Labor Organisation (ILO) in recognising the impact of the global economic crisis and its aftermath on many Pacific island countries lobbied western governments and non government organisations (including the Australian trade union movement) to support job creation programs.

Against this backdrop the ILO convened a meeting of trade unions, employer groups and Pacific island governments in Vanuatu in February this year. The theme of the conference was developing a Pacific action plan for decent work.

The Australian Nursing Federation attended the conference as a representative of employee groups in Australia. The meeting focused on assisting Pacific island countries to develop sustainable jobs in industries that would benefit communities. In a number of countries the development of such programs required a commitment by governments to the establishment of minimum wages, effective systems of collective bargaining, recognition of the role of trade unions and the introduction of minimal level of social protection such as unemployment benefits and aged pensions.

Not surprisingly, the Australian Nursing Federation argued the development of decent and sustainable work in the Pacific must include an increase in jobs in the health and community services sector. Services providing long term care of citizens including vaccine programs, safe housing, clean water supply, hospitals and health clinics, should be prioritised. These services provide the foundation of sound social and economic structures of any country.

We also contended that as one of the largest health professions, and one with many specialities, nurses’ work everywhere health care is provided and the contribution of nurses to the health and wellbeing of any country is almost incalculable. Nursing interventions are cost effective and investing in more nursing staff would ultimately pay for itself. We were successful in having the health sector along with tourism, fisheries and shipping identified as priority industries for the development of sustainable jobs.

The conference developed an important agreed statement on plans to grow sustainable employment and called on all Western governments to assist Pacific countries in recovering from the financial crisis with a decent jobs led program.

Nick Blake
ANF Senior Federal Industrial Officer