The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) have sent a letter of support for nurses and midwives undertaking strike action on 15 February 2022.

Victorian nurses, midwives and personal care workers send our support to your courageous members participating in statewide industrial action on Tuesday 15 February 2022.

The recent COVID-19 outbreak has been challenging for nurses, midwives and carers across the country and the world. Surge rosters, coupled with rising hospitalisations and thousands of furloughed staff was the worst it has been in Victoria since the nursing/midwifery shortage crisis of the 1990s. With great relief Victoria’s code brown ends today and we are working towards the end of our surge workforce team models. This will mean the resumption of our shift-by-shift legislated ratios and a return to the Andrews Victorian Government’s five-year program to introduce new and improved ratios (because ratios are not set and forget).

We hope the Perrottet NSW Government listens to NSWNMA and your nursing and midwifery members and introduces shift-by-shift ratios. Ratios would provide transparent minimum staffing levels to ensure your members can provide safe patient care.

A state government freezing wages in a pandemic is incomprehensible to Victorian nurses and midwives. We support your industrial campaign for a 2.5 per cent wage increase and a COVID allowance that recognises your members’ work in the most challenging circumstances.

Respectful wages, conditions and safe, mandated, minimum staffing levels are the only way to recruit and retain the robust and skilled nursing and midwifery workforce needed to care for the NSW community.

The pandemic has once again shone a light on the value of nurses’ and midwives’ skills and knowledge. The Perrottet Government should not have needed this reminder.

Yours sincerely

Lisa Fitzpatrick

Secretary

ANMF (Vic Branch)