Bolton Clarke members attending the 22 July stop work and community rally. Photographer: Christopher Hopkins
After 64 days of protected industrial action, Bolton Clarke ANMF members have overwhelmingly endorsed a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) and to end their industrial action on 16 September.
The new EBA will provide significant rises in wages and conditions above Bolton Clarke’s original zero per cent, then three per cent offer. On 6 September, members and colleagues overwhelmingly rejected for the second time the sub-standard offer which would’ve left them thousands of dollars worse off.
Following the ballot result, ANMF and Bolton Clarke resumed negotiations which resulted in the new improved offer.
Nurses and carers will now receive at least a 12 per cent or 14 per cent wage rise. However, depending on their classification and their current, expired EBA, many are expected to receive a higher wage percentage. Additionally, members have won major increases to shift allowances (about 25% higher) and on-call allowance (double).
Overall, the new EBA will contain starting rates of pay, wage increases and allowances which are at, or exceed, industry standards.
Importantly, Bolton Clarke has committed to pass on the Stage 3 Aged Care Work Value wage increases in full.
This success is the result of the hard work of members standing together to undertake stage one and stage two protected industrial action and recruiting new members to join them in the fight for better wages and conditions.
The ballot is likely to run from 7am Monday 30 September – 5pm Thursday 3 October after the access period begins on Friday 20 September.
