Following the successful protected industrial action ballot, and in accordance with the ANMF member resolution from the 14 February 2025 statewide members meeting, ANMF wrote to your employer on the same day to provide the required (minimum) 120 hours’ notice of the commencement of stage 1 protected industrial action.
From 7am Friday 21 February, members are authorised to lawfully commence protected industrial actions items 1 to 13 as listed on the ballot order. These actions can be summarised as follows:
- Wearing ANMF red campaign t-shirts at work
- Distributing, displaying and posting of campaign-related information during working hours
- Refusal to be redeployed (subject to Branch intervention)
- Refusal to provide information about who is participating in protected industrial action
- A ban on administrative paperwork or data entry, including outcome measures (i.e. HoNOS), vehicle logbooks, statistical data including MHWA PR 1, PR2s and PR5s etc (excluding any reporting directly related to consumer/patient or staff safety).
- Refusal to work overtime
- Speaking to media, patients etc (subject to s.141 of the Health Services Act) and engaging with consumers and clients, their visitors and the media including calling talkback radio and writing letters to newspapers
- Refusal to attend or participate in any management meeting unless fully backfilled
- Refusal to implement any workplace or system change proposed by management (subject to discretion of the ANMF Branch Secretary).
For the full list of protected industrial actions see campaign update #9 via anmfvic.asn.au/mhupdate9
IMPLEMENTING A BAN ON ADMINISTRATIVE PAPERWORK
ANMF is aware that some employers have raised concerns about the administrative bans. We are in discussions with the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association and have requested further information. ANMF will provide members with a further update.
We continue to advise members that in accordance with the protected industrial action ballot order, members can refuse to collect, record, complete or document non-clinical/administrative information required by the employer, excluding any reporting directly related to consumer/patient or staff safety.
Members are encouraged to read through the ANMF industrial action kit for further information on how to implement industrial action (see campaign resources below).
It is imperative that members act in the interests of our consumers, clients and patients and the mental health nursing profession. Be strong and united.
WORKPLACE VISITS
ANMF Organisers and staff continue to visit workplaces to distribute t-shirts, campaign materials and to support members.
REPORTING PAY DOCKING THREATS OR HARASSMENT
It is your legal right under the Fair Work Act 2009 to take protected industrial action in support of the campaign for an enterprise agreement.
‘Protected’ means you cannot be terminated or disciplined for taking industrial action.
ANMF does not expect that any consequences will happen, but sometimes individuals can do and or say things that they shouldn’t. We all have to work together again when this ends.
If you are threatened for participating in protected industrial action:
- Make a written record of what occurred, while it is fresh in your memory.
- If possible, contact your ANMF Job Rep straight away.
- If not possible, contact ANMF as soon as you can via our online form: anmfvic.asn.au/mhreport. (These details are also in the front of your protected industrial action kits)
- ANMF will deal with employers directly and (unless you are happy to be named) confidentially, to ensure you are able to participate in what is your legally protected right.
ANMF CONTACT DETAILS
For urgent issues relating to protected industrial action call 03 9275 9333 or email records@anmfvic.asn.au.
For less urgent issues or general questions submit an online member assistance form via anmfvic.asn.au/memberassistance.
TAKE PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF YOUR ACTION
As soon as your action starts, upload your photos and short video of members wearing the campaign t-shirts at work, reading their letter to the editor, or with your campaign signs so we can share these on ANMF’s social media channels and in our publications.
For more information refer to ANMF’s Social media work-ban guidance on our campaign resources page.
Remember to take your pics or videos holding the camera vertically as these are better for social media reels.
Please don’t email photos or video as the quality will be reduced. Instead upload the original-sized files to our public sector mental health EBA Dropbox folder via anmfvic.asn.au/mhbox.
CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
Members are encouraged to use the protected industrial action kit; social media profile picture; Teams screen; dear consumer, client, patient letter; Mental health nurses speak out flier; information for senior nurses; social media work ban guidance; and campaign poster available via anmfvic.asn.au/mhresources.
FOLLOW ANMF ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK
Members are encouraged to follow ANMF on our social media channels. You’ll find campaign information, support from your union colleagues and you’ll be able to support each other.
Find and follow ANMF (Vic Branch) via @anmfvic.
INFORMATION FOR SENIOR NURSES
Unfortunately, most nurse managers don’t receive training regarding their rights and obligations during disputes. ANMF understands that managers will deal with the campaign in different ways. Some will step forward and lead their staff, others may take a neutral stance and some may endeavour to work cooperatively whilst supporting hospital management’s position.
ANMF encourages senior nurses to engage with ANMF staff and ANMF Job Reps to minimise any unnecessary impact on consumers, clients and patients. Meeting with them to discuss how action can be managed and ensuring you are kept up to date with communications will mean that working relationships will remain intact and enable all parties to work together cooperatively after the campaign has ended.
More information is included in our ‘Information for senior nurses’ flyer available via anmfvic.asn.au/mhseniornurses.
DOES YOUR WARD/ UNIT HAVE AT LEAST TWO ANMF JOBS REPS?
Workplaces with ANMF Job Reps get better outcomes. Nominate now via anmfvic.asn.au/jobrep.
REMEMBER THAT OUR STRENGTH IS OUR MEMBERSHIP
If you know someone who isn’t, please encourage them to join ANMF so they can join the campaign for improved wages, conditions, entitlements and improved workloads and nursing staffing profiles in bed-based services and provisions to protect and grow the nursing workforce in community mental health teams.
New members can join via anmfvic.asn.au/join.
