Commencing on Friday 31 October, ANMF members at Healthscope are now able to take protected industrial action in the form of a ban on administrative tasks.
While the ANMF can provide guidance and examples regarding this action, it is important that members on each ward/unit discuss with each other how this action would be most effective in your workplace, as you know your area best.
The important caveat on any action is that it cannot have a direct impact on patient or staff safety.
Further, if there is disagreement with management regarding a particular action, please let your ANMF Organiser know, and we will attempt to resolve the issue with Healthscope centrally. It is important to try to maintain workplace harmony wherever we can.
The following is a reminder of the wording of the action which is item 6 on the protected industrial action ballot order, which includes some examples:
A ban on administrative tasks including, but not limited to the:
- collection and/or entry of any data (that is not required by law to be entered into the patient record or related directly to patient or staff safety) and a refusal to record, collect or complete data required by the employer;
- noting or documenting start and finish times of consultations or procedures;
- the completing of any paperwork or electronic forms other than that directly related to the documenting of patient care;
- the scanning, documenting or entry of any item related to billing of clients.
Some further examples of actions that may be effective in your area include:
- Not documenting the time when patients come to a ward from ED.
- Not recording statistical data and daily returns/bed movements.
- Not maintaining vehicle logbooks.
- Where your hospital has an emergency department, refusing to perform clerical duties such as going through fees.
If in doubt, please contact the ANMF with any queries.
BARGAINING UPDATE
ANMF met with Healthscope on Friday afternoon to work through the agreement draft, which included discussion of key items such as the workload committee and redeployment.
Discussions will continue at a further meeting scheduled for Wednesday 5 November.
Following this, the parties will be back at the Fair Work Commission on Thursday 6 November to attempt to resolve the outstanding issues.
We hope to be in a position update members after this conference and will provide separate communication regarding a members’ meeting.
Keep wearing your red campaign t-shirts, and talking to patients and the community about why you are taking protected industrial action. You are sending a strong message to Healthscope management that to retain and recruit early career and experienced nurses and midwives it must deliver fair wages and conditions.
CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
The ANMF’s Healthscope EBA 2025 campaign page includes the protected industrial action kit, the dear patient letter, the nurses and midwives speak out flier, information for senior nurses and midwives, the social media work ban guidance, the email message, the form to report pay docking threats, harassment and intimidation, a Teams screen, social media profile graphic and the link to upload your campaign images to ANMF’s Dropbox folder. Visit anmfvic.asn.au/healthscopeeba.
GOT A CAMPAIGN QUESTION?
If you have any questions, please contact your local Job Representative or the ANMF Industrial Relations Organiser responsible for your site (see below) via
records@anmfvic.asn.au. Please quote case ID 1083422 in the subject line.
Dorset Rehabilitation Centre – Camilla Ablitt-Collins
Geelong Clinic – Christian Sanderson
Holmesglen Private Hospital – Stephanie Bligh
John Fawkner Hospital – Lachlan Schacht
Knox Private Hospital – Linda Elliott
La Trobe Private Hospital – Julie Wearing-Smith
Melbourne Private Hospital – Jodi Dowler (relieving for Lyndal Alston)
Northpark Private Hospital – Julie Wearing-Smith
Ringwood Private Hospital – Linda Elliott
The Melbourne Clinic Private Hospital – Linda Elliott
Victoria Clinic Private Hospital – Narelle Hayes
Victorian Rehabilitation Centre – Jenna Bell
