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Private acute sector bargaining underway

Private acute sector bargaining underway

Work on new enterprise agreements for members working for private acute employers is underway.

ANMF (Vic Branch) will be seeking salary and allowance increases to achieve public sector parity by 2023, and a 3 per cent salary increase in 2023–24.

In addition to local claims, nurse and midwife public sector EBA claims that will also be pursued for members working for private acute sector include:

  • a 3.5% allowance will be payable where the employer requires the employee to hold a current Certificate IV TAE. This allowance will not apply to an employee already in receipt of a higher qualification allowance.
  • the period of travel to and from recall to duty to be paid time and a vehicle use allowance per kilometre travelled to and from work during any period of recall to duty.
  • introduction of a lead apron allowance payable of $8 per shift, or part thereof, that the lead apron is required to be worn.
  • establish a standing committee of management and the ANMF to promote gender equity initiatives.
  • amend the disciplinary clause title to Managing Conduct and Performance
  • adopt a non-punitive approach to dealing with conduct and performance matters.
  • comprehensive parental leave provision and an increase of paid parental leave to 14 weeks and partner leave to two weeks.
  • superannuation to be paid while an employee is on parental leave (paid and unpaid period).

HealtheCare

HealtheCare Job Representatives endorsed the ANMF (Vic Branch) log of claims in late September and the log of claims was served on the employer on 13 October, with a request that bargaining commence. HealtheCare has responded to say it is considering the timing of negotiations. Extending the scope of the 2020–24 agreement to Hobson Health facilities is among the claims.

Jessie McPherson Private Hospital

Members working for the Jessie McPherson Private Hospital have endorsed a log of claims which were provided to management on 15 October. Negotiations commenced on 21 October.

Claims include a 3% wage increase each year from 1 April 2020 and paid pandemic leave up to 20 days per year.

Claims also include minimum staffing levels for each ward or unit to be in the agreement and no patient load for the in-charge nurse unit manager/midwife unit manager on all wards and after-hours coordinators.

St Vincent’s Private Hospital

Members working for St Vincent’s Private Hospital are yet to endorse their log of claims. The draft log of claims includes improvements to professional development entitlements, the annual leave request process, leave for part-time staff, fatigue rostering principles and workload management systems.

Mildura Private Hospital

Members working for Mildura Private Hospital are yet to finalise their log of claims. Thus far the  draft log includes improvements to staffing in the theatre/endoscopy unit and the day procedure unit, as well as improvements in salary maintenance and redundancy pay.

Other claims include better fatigue management and excessive hours provisions.

The nominal expiry date for Mildura Private Hospital was 1 July 2020.

St John of God

Members working for St John of God finalised their log of claims in July 2020, which includes safe patient staffing across all wards and theatres, improved penalties for overtime and recall, improved professional development and study provisions.

Negotiations with St John of God Hospital commenced on 26 August, with the most recent meeting on 26 October.

Epworth Hospital

The current Epworth enterprise agreement expires on 22 November.

Members’ claims include improvements to professional development and exam leave and secure car parking for employees or reimbursement of work-related parking costs.

Ramsay Health Care

The nominal expiry date for the Ramsay Health Care enterprise agreement was 30 September. Bargaining commenced on Wednesday 7 October and the parties are meeting weekly.

Specific claims for Ramsay Health Care members include no patient load for in-charge nurse/midwife on all wards, or after-hours coordinators and nurses in charge.

Cabrini Health

Members working at Cabrini Health are yet to finalise the draft log of claims, which was sent on 16 October. The current agreement expires on 31 October.

For the log of claims specific to your employer, please see newsflashes.

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