Main Content

Federal Court grants interim order – St Vincent’s Private Hospitals restrained from representing bed closure action is unprotected

Federal Court grants interim order – St Vincent’s Private Hospitals restrained from representing bed closure action is unprotected

The Federal Court of Australia this afternoon granted the ANMF’s application for an injunction which stops St Vincent’s Private Hospitals management from asserting that members’ bed closure industrial action is unprotected.

ANMF provided evidence to the court that various St Vincent’s Private Hospitals management representatives had asserted to members that bed closures were not protected industrial action.

The Federal Court has found that there is a serious question to be tried as to whether St Vincent’s Private Hospitals has falsely and recklessly misrepresented the industrial action.

While there is no final decision on this question, the Federal Court found it was appropriate to grant an injunction given the potential for ANMF members and other employees to be misled about the legal status of the action, and the potential to negatively affect members’ decision to action their entitlement to take protected industrial action.

St Vincent’s Private Hospitals has been ordered to provide the Federal Court Order to each nursing and midwifery employee by 4pm Monday 20 January.

Status of negotiations

ANMF met with St Vincent’s Private Hospitals management earlier today. Talks were positive and a further schedule of three meeting dates were agreed – Friday 24 January, Wednesday 29 January and Friday 5 February.

Related