All this EBA talk! What about public sector mental health and private hospital members?

The public sector nurses and midwives campaign for improved wages and conditions has prompted many inquiries from members in different sectors about when their campaign starts.

The Fair Work Act 2009 sets out the legal rules that unions and employers must follow to negotiate a new agreement. This includes strict timeframes on when union members are allowed to take action in support of a replacement agreement.

ANMF is able to begin negotiations for a replacement agreement six months prior to an enterprise bargaining agreement’s expiry date.

It is also important to remember that ANMF has successfully used the public sector acute and aged care enterprise agreement as the benchmark EBA for all other negotiations.

Public sector mental health EBA and Forensicare

The Victorian public sector mental health agreement and the Forensicare agreement both expire on 31 December. The log of claims for replacement agreements will reflect member resolutions carried at recent Delegates conferences, the outcomes of the 2024-28 public sector general and aged care agreement, plus claims specific to these workplaces. Negotiations are expected to begin in late June.

Public sector mental health members achieved the same wages outcome and entitlements as the acute public sector nurses’ and midwives’ 2020-24 agreement. The 2020-24 public sector mental health and Forensicare agreements provided a 10.5% pay rise over four years. The next pay rise for mental health nurses employed under both of the above agreements will be 1.5% in July 2024.

Private acute hospitals

The key expiry dates for private hospital EBAs are below. Negotiations for those employers with expiry dates in 2024 will begin when the outcome of the  public sector agreement is known.

If your workplace is not listed here, check your agreement by logging on to your ANMF member portal page.

Private acute sector members also have pay parity and are sometimes ahead depending on the timing of their pay rises. Higher pay rises are generally scheduled in the beginning of an agreement.

ANMF is seeking nurse/patient ratios in private hospitals and day procedure centres as part of the Victorian Government’s review of the Health Services (Health Service Establishments) Regulations 2013.

What members can do

1. Ensure you workplace and ward details are up to date. You can do this via your ANMF member portal page.
2. Make sure your ward or unit has at least two Job Reps. Information and nominations
3. Support your public sector general and aged care colleagues when you have an opportunity.
4. Be prepared to attend EBA meetings at your workplace when they are scheduled.
5. Talk to your colleagues about joining ANMF. Workplaces with more ANMF members have stronger bargaining power.