Branch Beat
Branch Beat- Southern Highlands Private Hospital
Ramsay Health Care’s Southern Highlands Private Hospital (SHPH) in Bowral is a small facility with five theatres, one ward and a cancer centre.
Its nurses have taken part in both regional and local strikes in support of a new Ramsay enterprise agreement.
Ramsay is one of the world’s biggest private healthcare companies but has so far failed to make a fair offer of higher wages and safer staffing that recognises the true value of its nurses and midwives.
In August, SHPH members joined other Ramsay nurses from Nowra Private Hospital and the much-bigger Wollongong Private Hospital (WPH) in a four- hour strike and public rally at Wollongong’s MacCabe Park.
Branch leaders from all three hospitals say they achieved a greater impact by joining forces.
Their combined rally and march got a police escort through the streets of Wollongong and front-page coverage in the Illawarra Mercury.
They showed Ramsay and the people of the South Coast and Southern Highlands region they are determined to get a fair deal.
Joint actions deliver maximum impact
About 30 nurses walked out of Southern Highlands Private Hospital (SHPH) in Bowral and drove down to Wollongong for the combined Ramsay nurses march and rally in August.
“It was a great result,” said the NSWNMA branch secretary at SHPH, theatre nurse Ewan Gemmell.
“It showed Ramsay we want them to make a better wage offer and introduce a ratios/safe staffing model that will help address frequent frustrations about inadequate staffing levels across all Ramsay sites.”
SHPH branch has also held one-hour local stoppages “to maintain the momentum of the campaign and keep it in the public eye,” Ewan said.
“By far the most effective action for us is to walk out because walkouts are hard for the company to work around.”
UNION TRAINING LED TO BRANCH FORMATION
Ewan was the driving force for the establishment of SHPH’s first ever NSWNMA branch in 2023.
He decided to try to set up a branch after attending an “informative and very helpful” training course for NSWNMA activists.
He then gathered the 10 member- signatures needed to gain union approval for a branch.
“A lot of members thought that having the branch was a good idea but very few wanted to get involved as branch officials,” Ewan said.
“Some were afraid of being targeted by management if they had anything to do with the union. Bowral is quite a conservative area and I had my doubts as well.
“However, I have not had any problems in communicating with the CEO and the director of clinical services. We disagree on issues but I have never felt disrespected or intimidated by them in the pursuit of my role as NSWNMA rep.”
INDUSTRIAL ACTION LED TO MORE MEMBER INVOLVEMENT
The NSWNMA and Ramsay started negotiations for a new enterprise agreement in 2023.
Ewan said nurses became angry that Ramsay was dragging out the negotiations and offering a wage deal that failed to keep up with cost- of-living pressures.
“Ramsay’s offer showed no real respect or recognition for the work nurses do, especially during COVID.
“For many nurses this was a catalyst to join the NSWNMA and begin the fight for a better deal.
“Once it became clear that we were going to start industrial action, members wanted to get more involved in branch activity.
“About 10 people turned up to our branch meeting last week, which was fantastic for a small hospital like ours.”
THE BRANCH IS MEETING A NEED
Ewan said he had been surprised and heartened by the support he received from nursing colleagues – both union and non-union.
“When I started walking around the ward and talking to people about the EA, a couple of nurses who I didn’t know came up to me, gave me a hug and said ‘good on you’.
That sort of response makes it worthwhile and shows the branch is meeting a need.
“Having union representation at a local level helps gives nurses a voice when so often they feel they are not taken into consideration – especially in the private healthcare system.”
Ewan’s fellow branch official is President Katie Nicholas who works part-time. Other members step in to ensure the branch continues to function when they are absent from the hospital.
“People who I totally didn’t expect have stepped up and offered to do stuff such as communicating with members and management,” Ewan said.