EBA 2024 Update – Volume 7

Welcome to the seventh edition of a 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

This update provides information regarding the progress of the bargaining processes for the new Enterprise Agreements (EA) which will take effect over 2024.

The enterprise agreement for nurses and midwives working in public health services across Victoria expires on 30 April 2024, so these negotiations are underway.

Nurses working in mental health services are covered by a separate enterprise agreement which expires in December 2024. Negotiations for this agreement will commence later this year.

Background

On 19 March the State Government provided an offer to the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation in response to their claims and wages proposal for the next Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA).

The offer included a 4-year agreement, a 3% per annum wage increase, a pro rata $1,525 per EFT lump sum payment and agreement to a number of no-cost items to be included in the Agreement.
At an ANMF members meeting held on 21 March, a resolution was agreed to:

• reject the offer,
• make an application for a protected industrial action ballot order in the Fair Work Commission.

The Fair Work Commission has subsequently approved the application for a protected industrial action ballot to be undertaken.

Protected Industrial Action Ballot

A Protected Industrial Action Ballot will be sent to all members of the ANMF employed in public health services across Victoria, community health centres and aged care facilities who are employed under the Nurses and Midwives (Victorian Public Sector)(Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement.

Vero is an independent Fair Work Commission-approved ballot agent. Employers (including Western Health) have sent contact details for staff to Vero, and ANMF have sent contact details for their members to Vero for the purposes of reconciliation to undertake the ballot.

Vero will circulate the Ballot electronically only to ANMF members commencing on 15 April 2024, together with an instruction sheet. If you work at more than one health service you may receive more than one ballot vote. Western Health has ensured that any emails sent from Vero will not be blocked by our cyber security firewall or flagged as a ‘junk email’.

Voting commences on 17 April at 9am and will close on 29 April at 5pm. The outcome will be known on 30 April.

Protected industrial action can only occur at each health service if 50% plus one of the eligible members at that health service vote, and for more than half vote in favour of the action being taken.

Protected Industrial Action can only occur once the current enterprise agreement expires from 1 May 2024. Until this time, industrial action including the wearing of campaign t-shirts and posting of campaign material should not occur.

Western Health values our staff and we respect their right to take industrial action. We also recognise that there will be varying views about the proposed Industrial Action. It is important that we retain our relationships and are respectful of each other.

Compulsory Conciliation

When an application for protected industrial action is made, the Fair Work Commission insists on compulsory conciliation between the parties to discuss the impact of the proposed industrial action.

The Fair Work Commission has ordered all of the parties, including VHIA (representing employers) and union representatives to attend a mandatory conference on Thursday 11 April 2024.

Keeping informed

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

Unions will also provide information to their members through regular publications, notices and report-back meetings.

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.