June 27, 2022

Unions

Nurses and midwives to stop work over NSW budget-FAIL

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Hundreds of nurses and midwives will stop work next week to take part in a mass meeting of NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members, furious at the NSW government’s failure to address the urgent need for shift by shift staffing ratios.

NSWNMA members believe health policies confirmed in the 2022-23 NSW budget yesterday were more smoke and mirrors by the NSW government, and would not fix the healthcare crisis.

NSWNMA Acting General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said many questions remained unanswered regarding the actual number of full-time equivalent nurses and midwives to be added to the workforce, given Local Health Districts would be given funds to spend at their discretion.

“The sheer lack of transparency is palpable. There are widespread staffing deficits right across the state now and there is no guarantee that the government’s ‘health workforce boost’ will be utilised to plug gaps in the staffing rosters now,” said Ms Candish.

“We need fundamental reform of our healthcare system. We need ratios, alongside transparent spending of taxpayer dollars to ensure NSW receives the right patient care, not more unaccountable cash being thrown about, without any guarantee of meaningful staffing solutions.

“We will continue to review the budget and push for answers, but on early review we are not confident it will address the current workforce fatigue, or the ongoing issue of attracting and retaining nurses and midwives in NSW.

“Despite acknowledging widespread ‘aftershocks’ across the health system from the pandemic and current flu season, the government has ignored the need to address the extra extreme workloads nurses and midwives are juggling.

“The rural and remote incentive packages are welcome however we still need details of how this will apply to nursing and midwifery.

“We hope these packages will assist recruitment, but our members tell us the best way to keep them working in rural and remote NSW is to ensure they can practice safely. They can only do this if their workload is reasonable, and there’s nothing in the package that tells us this will happen.

“We asked for one extra nurse every evening and night shift in remote sites, and the government has said no to this request.”

NSWNMA Acting Assistant General Secretary, Michael Whaites, said while more money into bank accounts was welcome, the one-off ‘thank you’ payment would not help with ongoing cost of living pressures, and coupled with a real pay cut under the new 3 per cent wages policy, members were not impressed.

“The ‘thank you’ payment does very little to recognise the sacrifices and moral injury our members endured throughout the pandemic, which we all know extends across the entire health system, not just public hospitals,” said Mr Whaites.

“There are many who helped this state in its time of need that will not get this payment, those who burnt out and left, those in the private and aged care sectors. Those members are rightly feeling undervalued.

“But instead of listening to nurses and midwives, the clinicians on the ground who are best placed to outline the issues and solutions, the NSW government has ignored them and their calls for safe staffing ratios on every shift.

“Given the workforce constraints being felt here and in other jurisdictions, it’s a woeful oversight by the Premier and his government to not consider phasing nurse-to-patient ratios into specialty areas on a shift by shift basis, where its own hospital data shows ratios are desperately needed.

“Emergency departments, intensive care units, maternity, paediatrics, inpatient mental health, all of these areas and more have been significantly disrupted during the pandemic and chronic staffing shortages exposed, yet they’ve failed to attract a mention in this budget.

“This is why our members will gather for a mass meeting next week and discuss their next steps in our campaign to improve patient safety in our hospitals with shift by shift staffing ratios.”

Over 70 NSWNMA public sector branches have voted to stop work for various hours (from 2hrs to 24hrs) and participate in a mass meeting of members next Tuesday, 28 June. Branches that have voted for extended stop work periods demonstrate the widespread dissatisfaction with the NSW government’s budget, and a lack of confidence the announcements will improve patient safety.

A further 16 branches voted in support of the stop work action but due to severe staffing shortages and a commitment to life-preserving care are unable to participate.

A mass meeting will be held at Sydney Town Hall from 2pm and broadcast to a number of regional locations.

The NSWNMA has not ruled out further action in the lead up to the state election in March 2023.

‘Smoke and mirrors’ for hardworking nurses and midwives

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Many nurses and midwives who worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic will likely miss out on the NSW government’s planned one-off $3,000 ‘thank you’ payment and questions remain about the ‘record’ 10,000 health workforce also announced earlier this week.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) sought further details on the payment and specifics around the pre-budget workforce ‘boost’, after fielding a wide range of queries from public and private sector members and community supporters.

Following talks with NSW Ministry of Health officials, NSWNMA Acting General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said it appeared a large number of nurses and midwives, who worked extraordinarily throughout the pandemic, would not be eligible for the ‘thank you’ payment.

“It beggars’ belief how little thought has gone into this announcement given the vast efforts of all healthcare workers who sacrificed themselves to keep NSW communities safe,” said Ms Candish.

“Alarmingly, we are yet to have any clarification for private sector or aged care nurses who helped to support the public system, but we now know the $3,000 isn’t all as it seems for public sector health workers either.

“We’re told the one-off payment will be taxed, have superannuation taken out, and only apply pro rata for casuals or part-time staff averaged out over the last financial year.

“We’re calling on the NSW Premier to take another look at this pre-budget announcement, ensure all healthcare workers are recognised for their tremendous resilience and valued equitably across the board.”

Further transparency questions were also raised about the NSW government’s 10,148 full-time equivalent staffing enhancement announcement, and NSWNMA Acting Assistant General Secretary, Michael Whaites, said double counting of previous announcements was apparent.

“We are seeking further clarification from the Health Minister and Ministry, but we have been told that figure does include the NSW Ambulance and palliative care announcements, as well as at least 1,600 nurses and midwives yet to be recruited from the 5,000 nurses and midwives promised back in 2019,” said Mr Whaites.

“We still have no detail on how many new nurses and midwives are within this announcement, where they will be allocated, or when they will be recruited.

“There’s no guarantee all 10,148 positions will actually be recruited because the government intends to allocate funds to Local Health Districts to use at their own discretion.

“It’s really disappointing, when clinicians have repeatedly asked for their concerns to be addressed, in order to provide the best possible care to the people of NSW, and the government and opposition repeatedly fail to listen.”

The NSWNMA reiterated calls for an introduction of shift by shift ratios to deliver safe patient care and improve working conditions for staff. As well as open and transparent investment into the nursing and midwifery workforce in NSW.

Workers unite to smash public sector pay cap, as research reveals shrinking incomes 

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Nurses and midwives joined other NSW public sector employees at Sydney’s Trades Hall over the weekend to call on the Perrottet government to remove the current wages cap policy. 

The meeting, convened by Unions NSW and supported by affiliates representing health workers, teachers, transport workers and other public servants, demanded the oppressive wage cap be scrapped and allow public sector unions to negotiate for pay rises in line with the cost of living. 

The current wage cap sits at 2.5%, while inflation has surged to 5.1%. On 6 June, the Perrottet government announced the cap would increase to 3% as part of the upcoming NSW budget , however, this figure remains well below current inflation numbers.  

The meeting called for an immediate fix to staff shortages and excessive workloads; action on job security and workplace upskilling; and any further privatisation of essential services in the state to be ruled out. 

A report by Professor Emeritus David Peetz was also released, indicating the public sector will be, on average, $6,156 worse off over the next three years if wages are not increased, commensurate with the cost of living.  

The ‘Wage norms and the link to public sector salary caps’ report examined the escalating cost of living and retention crises for NSW public sector workers. It estimated incomes will shrink between $1,000 and $1,800 per year for the average NSW government employee.  

Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey described the Perrottet government’s refusal to allow wage increases to match the cost of living as a “punishment” against essential workers. 

“Our essential workers kept the state running throughout the most difficult two years in recent memory. Now as the cost of living surges 5.1%, they are being asked to accept a pay cut,” he said. 

“That’s an odd way to thank people who have risked their lives for the rest of us.” 

  

ACTU ups minimum wage claim to 5.5%

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The ACTU has revised its minimum wage claim from 5 per cent to 5.5 per cent, to protect the low paid in the midst of an accelerating cost of living crisis.

This increase would lift the hourly rate in the minimum adult wage from $20.33 to $21.45, the weekly rate from $772.60 to $815.09 and the annual rate from $40,175.20 to $42,384.84.

When the ACTU submitted its initial claim on 31 March, the federal budget had predicted inflation would peak at 4.25 per cent in the middle of this year. By May, inflation was already at 5.1 per cent and the RBA is predicting it will reach 5.5 per cent by mid-year.

A pay rise of 5.5 per cent for the one in four workers who rely on the outcome of the minimum wage case aims to ensure that they do not go backwards in real terms, the ACTU said.

ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus, said the claim was designed to break the trend of the deep real wage cuts that she attributed to “Scott Morrison missing in action on wages”.

“A 5.5 per cent increase is what is now needed just to ensure people tread water; anything less has them drowning in bills,” she said.

“People have already cut back discretionary spending; they will have no choice but to cut it completely as for so many workers – cleaners, aged care and retail workers, there is nothing left after the rent, groceries and petrol.”

ANMF ready and willing to work with newly appointed Ministers to achieve much needed health and aged care reform

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The country’s largest union, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), congratulates new Ministers in key portfolios in the Albanese Government, including Mark Butler in the health portfolio, Anika Wells in aged care and Ged Kearney, a former nurse and ANMF Federal Secretary, in the role of Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care.

The ANMF and its membership of over 310,000 nurses, midwives and care workers look forward to working with Ministers Butler, Wells and Assistant Minister Kearney, so we can deliver on our priorities for reforms in health and aged care, better wages for low-paid workers, gender equality and urgent action on climate change.

“We were heartened that prior to the election, Mr Albanese and his team listened to the concerns of the ANMF and our members and committed to addressing our four main priorities in private aged care. We now stand ready to work with the new Albanese Government to further develop and implement our reforms, including registered nurses 24/7; mandating staffing ratios in private aged care facilities; recognising the value of the aged care workforce through improved pay and conditions and ensuring taxpayer-funds for aged care providers are tied to direct care for residents,” ANMF Acting Federal Secretary, Lori-Anne Sharp, said today.

“We are excited to be working with Ministers Butler and Wells in the critical portfolios of health and aged care and in particular, our former colleague Ged Kearney, who clearly understands the challenges we’re facing and has supported the ANMF over the past decade as we’ve campaigned tirelessly to ensure fair and equitable health outcomes for all Australians.

“Mr Albanese’s appointment of a record number of women to Cabinet and MPs from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds, shows that we have a Federal Government that is serious about achieving equality in the workplace and a Parliament that more accurately reflects the Australian population.”

Workers win as Morrison handily turfed 

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The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has celebrated the rejection of the Morrison government as a win for workers.  

The ACTU had been campaigning over the past few years against the former Prime Minister’s refusal to act on the crises which have enveloped our country, including stagnant wage growth, insecure work and cost of living concerns.  

Their campaign, led and executed by thousands of workers around the country, focused on conversations between colleagues in workplaces, over the phone and on social media about the failure of the Morrison Government to deliver for working people. This resulted in the Liberal and National Parties collectively losing at least 17 seats in Saturday’s poll.  

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association’s (NSWNMA) campaign to fix aged care also contributed to the loss of the Liberal/National government, with the Association’s campaign targeting five seats which swung against the Liberal Party, and a sixth seat remaining on a knife’s edge. 

NSWNMA Acting General Secretary described the win as one for working people. 

“Across the country, nurses, midwives and other workers stood up against their unfair treatment by the Morrison government. Today we see hope for a better future for working people,” Candish said.  

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus echoed Candish’s sentiments. 

“Working people have passed judgement on the refusal of the Morrison Government to take action on real wage cuts, insecure work and rising cost of living which working people have struggled through for years under this Government”, McManus said.  

“This is a victory for the unionists who stood up against a Government that refused to stand up for them”. 

The ACTU also congratulated the incoming Albanese government on their win, saying that they now had a “strong mandate to fight for secure jobs and higher wages”.