On 25 October 2023 the ANMF received the EBA claims made by your employer (through the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association, or VHIA). There are a series of changes that they want to alter and include in your 2024-2028 EBA.
Of particular note are the following claims:
1. Insertion of standardised Nurse Support Worker structure in the Agreement
This is effectively a repeat of previous claims (that ANMF members have actively opposed) seeking the introduction of an unregulated third level nurse.
The ANMF is seeking the creation or formalisation of Diploma of Nursing students being able to be employed as ‘RENs’, consistently with RUSONs and RUSOMs, in appropriate clinical areas. This claim was requested by Delegates at the 2022 Victorian conference
2. Clarify that the short shift restrictions do not apply to shifts worked above the legislated nurse to patient ratios.
3. Clarify that short shift restrictions only apply to areas covered by the Safe Patient Care Act.
4. Amend the Agreement to enable unlimited short shifts to occur by agreement with the employee noting that minimum staff numbers are still determined by the Safe Patient Care Act.
2, 3 and 4 would mean an unlimited number of short shifts when above ratios, or in areas where ratios do not apply. Currently there is a cap on the number of short shifts per day
Currently, except in aged care and rehabilitation wards, up to two short shifts may be used for a ward or unit per day using no more than two of the following:
(a) one ‘AM’ shift (commencing and concluding within the ‘AM’ shift); and/or
(b) one ‘PM’ shift (commencing and concluding within the ‘PM’ shift); and/or
(c) one cross over shift, being a shift that commences before 12.00pm and concludes during the ‘PM’ shift.
In some aged care and rehabilitation wards, the EBA permits up to 3 short shifts a day.
Until we meet with VHIA we will not fully understand the implication of these, and other claims made by the employers.
View the employer claims [PDF].
Further updates will be provided as negotiations progress.
