The Victorian Public Mental Health Services Enterprise Agreement 2020-2024 (EBA) was formally approved by the Fair Work Commission on 17 June 2022.
The new EBA becomes enforceable on Friday 24 June 2022.
You can access the EBA document via anmfvic.asn.au/2020mhEBA
It has been a long journey, with many frustrating delays along the way, however we are pleased nurses will be able to lead the vital mental health reforms with additional mental health nursing EFT. We have also secured a ‘once off nurse alignment payment’ to maintain parity with your public sector nurse colleagues.
Thank you to all job reps and members who supported this campaign, came to members’ meetings, had discussions with your colleagues, submitted motions for debate at the annual delegates conferences and contacted ANMF individually.
As a result of your ANMF claims and your campaign you have also secured additional mental health nursing equivalent full time (EFT) positions, in addition to 800 EFT to be implemented in the delivery of mental health services over the life of the agreement. This is the most significant increase of additional EFT in the history of your enterprise bargaining history.
The new positions include:
- additional mental health nursing EFT to directly assist with workload in aged person mental health bed-based services and secure extended care units
- a high dependency unit uplift to ensure that the HDU ratios are met without the detriment to low dependency unit staffing
- additional (HDU) educators for parent infant units, a provision each service is to have
- a mental health director of nursing at each service
- a new graduate support nurse trial across six metro and regional health services.
We share your frustration about the lengthy process.
We thank you for your support and patience during this time.
This is a major step towards achieving the mental health nursing workforce reforms outlined by the Royal Commission.
What does the new EBA include?
For a list of the 2020-2024 EBA highlights see EBA update #22 (1 April 2022) and our frequently asked questions (12 April 2022) via via anmfvic.asn.au/mhEBAfaqs
You can view the new agreement at anmfvic.asn.au/2020mh EBA
Pay rises
ANMF expect the new pay rates will be implemented from the first pay period on or after 24 June 2022. We are seeking confirmation from the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association (VHIA) about the first pay rise payments and the timing of the nurse alignment payment. You can check your new pay rates in the agreement at anmfvic.asn.au/2020mh EBA
The wage increases that will apply to registered nurses (industrially classified as RPN) and enrolled nurses (industrially classified as PEN) are from the first full pay period on or after (FFPPOA):
- 1 July 2021 – 3%
- 1 July 2022 – 3%
- 1 July 2023 – 3%
- 1 July 2024 – 1.5%
Once off nurse alignment payment
Clause 74 provides for a ‘once off nurse alignment’ payment equivalent of 3% wages earned from the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2020 to 1 July 2021. This payment includes payments of base rate, overtime, penalties and allowances. It does not apply to reimbursements that are not subject to an increase over the life of the agreement.
Superannuation is payable on the payment and applies to permanent and casual employees.
This payment will align public sector mental health nurses’ wages with those ANMF achieved in the general public sector nurses and midwives eight-year wages deal (2016-2024).
A percentage increase is superior to a flat lump sum amount given the additional benefit that it is not only applied to your base rate of pay but also to your other entitlements such as allowances and leave loading etc.
Implementation
ANMF will be busy re-establishing Workplace Implementation Committees (WICs) to monitor and assess the implementation of the substantial changes in the new agreement. WICs comprise equal employer, ANMF representation which include ANMF staff and ANMF Job Reps, and HACSU representatives.
This work will include recruiting additional nursing staff and 800 EFT over the life of the agreement, implementation of the Graduate Support Nurse trial, the enrolled nurse transition program, implementation of a new crisis team workload management system, additional administrative staffing, commencement of RUSON (Registered Undergraduate Student of Nursing) working parties, new leave provisions, and new roster provisions.
It will also include all of the nursing-specific improved conditions ANMF achieved in the general nurses and midwives EBA that have been included in the mental health agreement.
