industrial relations reform

The NSWNMA has lodged its claim for 2023 with the NSW Ministry of Health, outlining a comprehensive list of proposed changes to the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award.

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said this year’s claim was unanimously endorsed by the union’s public sector branches, and was deliberately ambitious to secure workplace reforms, as well as to attract and retain skilled nurses and midwives in public health.

The claim also seeks a 10 per cent increase in pay and wage-related allowances plus superannuation effective from 1 July 2023.

Shaye said nurses and midwives in the public health system had seen “little to no improvements to their working conditions for the past decade”.

“Our members have campaigned for nurse-to-patient ratios for a long time. They shouldered the brunt of the pandemic for three long years, and they’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to deliver patient-centred care, often to the detriment of their own health and wellbeing,” she said.

“We have a comprehensive claim this year detailing evidence-based improvements to staffing across a range of specialty areas, which would increase workforce wellbeing and provide better support for professional development.”

NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary, Michael Whaites, said the establishment of a Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce (see box) with NSWNMA representatives “would ensure the outdated ‘Nursing Hours Per Patient Day’ system converts to a minimum and enforceable safe staffing model within the award”.

“We are focused on continuing the fight for safe staffing ratios, relief from cost-of-living pressures, and decent wages that adequately reflect the work of skilled professionals,” Michael said.

“Our 2023 claim aims to ensure public sector nurses and midwives can deliver high-quality care to all patients, regardless of where they live in NSW, and we will continue advocating on behalf of our members for as long as it takes.”

Key features of the claim

Ratios applied shift by shift – based on the actual number of patients in each unit

‘Specials’ in addition to ratios or rostered staffing minimums

In charge of shift in addition to minimum ratios and without a patient load

AiNs and AiMs in addition to minimum ratios.

Plus a 10 per cent increase in pay and wage related allowances plus superannuation effective from 1 July 2023.

Download a snapshot of the claim or view the entire claim here.

The federal Labor government is trying to pass new laws that will help low-paid workers to negotiate higher wage increases.

As The Lamp went to press, Labor’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay legislation had passed the lower house of parliament but was held up in the Senate.

Big business was threatening to run a multi-million-dollar influence campaign aimed at blocking the bill or watering it down.

Business opposition ignores the fact that while corporate profits are at record highs, workers have endured years of wage stagnation and, in many industries, real wages cuts.

A Guardian newspaper poll of 1035 voters in November found majority support for key aspects of the bill.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) supports the bill because it is designed to benefit employees in low-paid, female-dominated sectors such as aged care.

Other sectors likely to benefit would include childcare, disability care and cleaning.

ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, said the existing wage bargaining system is outdated and unfair.

“Many of our members have been ‘locked out’ under the existing bargaining system and haven’t had a proper wage rise in years,” she said.

Annie said aged care staff working conditions had “deteriorated to the point where more and more workers have abandoned their profession, leaving nursing homes dangerously understaffed.”

Meanwhile, inflation is racing ahead of wage rises.

The consumer price index rose 1.8 per cent in the three months to September to an annual rate of 7.7 per cent.

That means real wages fell over the year to September by an average of 4.2 per cent and even higher for public sector workers, the ACTU said.

“Rather than spending millions of dollars on a scare campaign, big business should use that money to give their workers a pay rise instead,” ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus, said.

Multi-employer bargaining

The current enterprise bargaining system requires employees to reach agreement with their employers.

Labor’s new legislation makes it possible for workers in low-paid sectors to negotiate one pay deal across multiple employers.

Flexible work

New flexible work rules will benefit many women workers in particular.

Employers will be legally required to try to reach agreement with “eligible” employees who request flexible work hours or arrangements.

Eligible employees are carers, parents with children of school age or younger, people with a disability, those aged 55 or older, and those experiencing or caring for someone experiencing domestic violence.

If the employer doesn’t bargain in good faith, unions can ask the Fair Work Commission to intervene.

Job security

The new laws will improve job security by placing new limits on rolling fixed-term contracts.

This will mean “workers can’t be effectively put on an end-less probation period,” said the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Burke.

Empowering women workers

Industrial relations expert Professor Shae McCrystal of the University of Sydney said the new laws are designed to empower women in the workplace.

“There’s a real engagement in the things that hold women back,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald, referring to measures to increase the bargaining power of sectors dominated by women.

‘Ambitious’ PHS award claim seeks comprehensive workplace reform

Empowering low-paid workers