For the first time, more than 2500 Healthscope nurses and midwives will commence protected industrial action from today, Tuesday 28 October.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) has been negotiating a new enterprise agreement with Healthscope management for its 12 Victorian healthcare facilities – 11 in Melbourne and one in Geelong – since June. The current enterprise agreement expired on 30 June 2025.
ANMF is seeking market-comparable wages and conditions and is opposing an unprecedented move by Healthscope that would see up to 90 per cent of an employee salary packaging benefit go to paying for operational costs, including servicing corporate debt, rather than into the pockets of nurses and midwives.
Healthscope’s wages proposal would see rates of pay about 10 per cent behind public sector rates of pay by the end of 2027. In December 2027 the most experienced grade 2 nurse or midwife will earn $2355/week ($61.97/hour) in the public sector and a Healthscope nurse or midwife at the same level would earn $2130.73 ($56.07/hour). ANMF is asking Healthscope for wages that maintain parity with the public sector.
ANMF members’ stage one protected industrial action includes wearing red campaign t-shirts; speaking to residents, family, the community and the media about their campaign; redeployment bans and a ban on overtime.
‘Healthscope need to negotiate a fair wages deal without asking nurses and midwives to donate their entitlements to pay off company debts,’ said ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Maddy Harradence.
‘This is the first time Healthscope members have taken protected industrial action, which demonstrates how strongly they feel about ensuring a fair wage outcome that is not dependent on agreement with the outrageous salary packaging proposal – Healthscope should listen to them.
‘Nurses, midwives and carers only take industrial action as a last resort when their employer is not listening, and we reassure Healthscope patients and their families that their health, safety and welfare will not be at risk,’ she said.
97 per cent of ANMF members who voted said yes to taking protected industrial action.
