EBA 2024 Update – Volume 1

Welcome to the first edition of a new bulletin that aims to keep Western Health’s nurses and midwives informed and up to date on the bargaining negotiations for the successor enterprise agreements to both the:

• Nurses and Midwives (Victorian Public Sector)(Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement 2020-2024
• Victorian Public Mental Health Services Enterprise Agreement 2020 -2024

which collectively cover all nurses and midwives employed at Western Health.

Introduction

The current Nurses and Midwives (Victorian Public Sector)(Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement expires on 30 April 2024. A new Enterprise Agreement (EA) is now being negotiated. The current Victorian Public Mental Health Services Enterprise Agreement expires in December 2024 and will be renegotiated during the second half of the year.

The development of an agreed EA is a complex process and takes several months to develop. The first step is the submission of the Log of Claims from both the employers and the union representatives which are lists of improvements they are seeking to be included in the next agreement, which form the basis of the discussions and negotiations.

This process involves a series of “bargaining” meetings where all parties negotiate and discuss matters and clauses that they are seeking to have changed, removed or added to the next version of the EA, in order that nurses and midwives in public services across Victoria benefit from the best working conditions possible.

These meetings have been occurring regularly since October 2023.

How is Bargaining undertaken?

The employers (public hospitals and mental health services) have representatives from hospital nursing and midwifery leadership teams and People and Culture attending the bargaining meetings and are represented by the Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association (VHIA) VHIA Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association who also seek feedback from health services about proposed changes and how these could be implemented if agreed.

The nurses and midwives (employees) are represented by senior staff from their Unions – the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and the Health & Community Services Union (HACSU).

Together, the group discuss proposed changes and new clauses to agree the best possible outcome for the new Agreements.

Current status

Bargaining meetings occur two to three times each week for the months leading up to the renewal of the EA.

The Department of Health also often attend bargaining meetings as many proposed changes incur a financial cost – for example, salaries and wages, penalties, allowances. The Department of Health has to support these additional costs if they are to be included in the EA, so needs to be informed and prepared in order to ascertain what obligations can be met.

The next EA (2024-2028) needs to have a new Salaries and Wages schedule as the current one expires in April at the end of the current agreement. It is anticipated that this element of bargaining will be complex, given the financial pressures across the health system.

Health Services will continue to provide feedback on proposed changes to clauses in the Agreement and new elements that are being put forward for consideration. The Unions will provide information to their members through regular publications and notices which job representatives will display in their areas.

Next steps

Bargaining meetings will continue through to March, when it is anticipated a draft EA will be put to nurses and midwives to consider.

If negotiations reach a point where agreement cannot be reached, and the outcomes are not accepted, unions may propose to their members to participate in Protected Industrial Action. The last few enterprise agreements have been agreed without industrial action occurring, and we are hopeful that this will occur again this time.

Once all parties think that the outcome is acceptable, then a vote will then be held where employees covered by that agreement vote on whether to accept the proposed enterprise agreement.

Keeping informed

Western Health will continue to provide regular updates on the outcomes of the bargaining process and how the new EAs for 2024-2028 are progressing.

Unions will also provide information to their members through regular publications and notices.

Any queries or concerns can be discussed confidentially with the relevant Divisional Director of Nursing & Midwifery, Deputy Executive Director of Nursing & Midwifery or People & Culture Business Partner.