ANMF members voted unanimously to endorse the revised State Government 2025–28 enterprise bargaining agreement offer for Forensicare mental health nurses at a members’ meeting on Friday 23 January.
Following several weeks of intense discussions with the Victorian Government and senior Department of Health representatives, ANMF and all bargaining parties this week received an updated Forensicare offer with improved wage provisions.
As advised in EBA update 8, after 18 months of negotiations the Allan Government revised offer was provided on 19 January, with a once off alignment payment to align with the Victorian Public Mental Health Services Enterprise Agreement 2024-2028, equivalent to wages between 20 May 2025 to 1 November 2025. This payment will apply to all staff covered by this agreement at the commencement date of the new agreement.
The once off payment includes payments of base rate, overtime, penalties and allowances. Superannuation is payable on the once off payment and the payment applies to permanent employees and casual employees.
Critical to this outcome was the Fair Work Commission’s 2024 decision in the ANMF’s aged care work value case. This case was the basis of the significant gender equity increases ANMF achieved in both the public sector general nurses and midwives enterprise agreement and the general mental health nurses agreement outcomes that have flowed onto Forensicare mental health nurses in this new offer.
View the Forensicare members’ meeting PowerPoint presentation summarising the offer.
NEXT STEPS
Drafting
ANMF has agreed to meet for intensive drafting sessions in order to complete the required drafting by mid February.
ANMF staff will be in contact with Job Reps and key members to confirm staffing numbers for beds in Thomas Embling Hospital and in the prisons, to ensure that the nursing numbers included in Schedule 10 are accurate.
The proposed timeline for completion of drafting and approval processes projects a formal ballot of all employees to occur mid March. This would allow for submission to the Fair Work Commission for approval by the end of March.
ANMF will update members on the status of drafting and ballot as required in the coming weeks.
