The 2016-20 Victorian public sector nurses and midwives agreement’s April 2019 wage increases provide wage parity with NSW public sector nurses and midwives (after salary packaging).
As part of that alignment, many nursing and midwifery positions have less increments than previously. For example, the old grades of Grade 2 Year 8, 9 and 10 all translate to the top increment in the new structure, RN/M8. The new structure has Grades RN/M1 (graduate) through to RN/M8.
The Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association (VHIA) represent hospitals, and as part of that service they provide salary circulars with “pay codes”. Pay codes are a creation of the VHIA, and are not a feature of the enterprise agreement, although for convenience they are set out in the wages schedule to the EBA.
Many will be familiar with their pay code of, for example, YP10 or YP11 and be understandably concerned to see that their new pay code is YP9. However, this is simply a reflection of having fewer increments at the old Grade 2 level, as set out below and does not impact on your seniority:
Position | Old pay code | New pay code | Old grade | New grade | Salary |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 1 | YP/S 2 | YP/S 2 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 1 | RN/M1 | $1,188.40 |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 2 | YP/S 3 | YP/S 3 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 2 | RN/M2 | $1,255.30 |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 3 | YP/S 4 | YP/S 4 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 3 | RN/M3 | $1,322.20 |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 4 | YP/S 5 | YP/S 5 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 4 | RN/M4 | $1,394.00 |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 5 | YP/S 6 | YP/S 6 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 5 | RN/M5 | $1,465.30 |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 6 | YP/S 7 | YP/S 7 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 6 | RN/M6 | $1,534.80 |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 7 | YP/S 8 | YP/S 8 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 7 | RN/M7 | $1,613.20 |
Registered Nurse or Midwife year 8 or more | YP/S 9 | YP/S 9 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 8 | RN/M8 | $1,678.50 |
YP/S 10 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 9 | ||||
YP/S 11 | RN GRADE 2 YEAR 10 |
A number of other Grades that had a first and second year increment have translated to a single increment. This was to reflect the number of salary levels in the NSW structure that we achieved as part of the 2016 EBA outcome.