Epworth Medical Imaging, June 2025
With the Epworth Medical Imaging (EMI) negotiations reaching an impasse, ANMF (Vic Branch) has lodged a dispute in the Fair Work Commission under the intractable bargaining provisions introduced into law in 2023.
This is a first for the Branch, and in plain English simply means we have asked the Commission – the nation’s highest industrial decision-making body – to resolve the negotiations by making a fair determination.
Essentially, intractable bargaining is an industrial pathway that can be used if parties (in this case: ANMF, on behalf of members; and EMI, the employer) have been bargaining for at least nine months and are not making any progress.
As part of our application, we have requested that the matter be expedited to the full bench of the Fair Work Commission for a decision, and that there be no further negotiation. We have sought the following for members:
- 5 per cent per annum wage increases (original wage claim)
- industry standard lead apron allowance
- backpay dating back to the 12-month anniversary of the last wage increase.
How did we get here?
In December, the nurses at Epworth Medical Imaging in Geelong and Richmond voted down their employer’s EBA offer – for the third time.
EMI nurses have not received a wage increase since July 2024, and their wage rates are already well behind the nursing industry standard.
The rejected offer included a one-off tax-free voucher of $295 instead of backpay!
ANMF (Vic Branch) began negotiating with EMI in September 2024, but could gain little ground. Frustrated by their employer’s lack of action, in June 2025 members felt it necessary to take protected industrial action to progress their claims.
Almost a year on, members were understandably feeling fatigued by the bargaining process and reporting low morale to ANMF. They told us that this bargaining dispute has left them feeling undervalued by EMI but that if their employer made a reasonable counterproposal on wages and provided backpay to the 12-month anniversary, the offer would get their support.
ANMF conveyed this information to EMI on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, they refused to consider members’ requests. Hence, the application for an intractable bargaining determination.
As of publication, we are awaiting further directions from the Commission in regard to the matter.
