Earlier this year, all public health delegates were approached for nominations on the Log of Claims Committee (or LoCC for short).

For those unfamiliar with the process, there are six positions available on the LoCC to develop our ‘Public Health System Award’ claim. The claim is endorsed by public sector members and is served on the Ministry of Health, as our list of demands for changes to nurses and midwives’ wages and working conditions. The claim forms the basis on which the NSWNMA and NSW government negotiate.

This year the claim was complex, and we met twice to sift through the many claims passed at Committee of Delegates (COD) over the last 12 months by elected delegates.

The passing of motions brought by public sector branches through COD helps inform what we hope to achieve in the Draft Log of Claims, which is put to members to vote on. We had robust discussions on every motion and spoke through the merits and winnable nature of each. It was very democratic.

To assist us, we had an industrial officer and two councillors, and we sat down with economic and workplace adviser Professor John Buchanan. He presented us with evidence and a breakdown of previous pay claims won by NSW public sector employees. It was very insightful and informative.

Discussion around our 2024 wage component took a large portion of time within the LoCC. Various numbers were considered, informed by the research presented to us, and we landed on the present claim of 15 per cent – with no concessions. There were other motions regarding our pay claim, but they were over multiple years, and we settled on a non-negotiable figure and a one-year deal. We didn’t want it to be over two years due to the state government being in election mode in the lead up to the next state election.

I am very proud to represent our nurses and midwives, and it’s an honour to sit on the LoCC as a rural RN. Every branch has a democratic right to lodge and present a motion at COD, which is then put to delegates to endorse, or not. I encourage every branch to become involved.

Mark Brennan, RN