Public sector EBA update #13: Protected industrial action ballot declared, action begins 7 May

Over 50,000 members across 106 employers were eligible to vote in the statewide protected industrial action ballot. The outcome was declared on 29 April 2024.

To be successful:

at each employer, at least 50% had to vote in the ballot

• community health – 587 voters – all reached the 50% milestone
• public health services – 50,277 eligible voters – all reached the 50% milestone

and more than 50% of those who voted had to vote ‘yes’:

• community health: 96% yes – all bar one – Community Health Service: Ranges Community Health (INSPIRO)
• public health services: 98% yes

Members at 105 employers can take protected industrial action.

Statewide members meeting 21 March 2024

Members voted to reject the Victorian Government settlement offer, and directed ANMF to focus on delivering improvements in wage-related claims, and claims aimed at addressing casualisation.

Statewide members meeting 30 April 2024

ANMF Branch Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick and Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert provided an update on negotiations since the 21 March 2024 statewide meeting.

With no further offer to consider, members voted to:

• note the successful protected industrial action ballot, demonstrating the significant commitment that nurses and midwives have to achieving a fair outcome to their log of claims
• note that reasonable and fair adjustments to wages, allowances and initiatives that will retain, and rebuild a permanent experienced and skilled workforce are yet to be resolved
• request that Premier Allan ensure that appropriate and senior government representatives are available for intensive negotiations with the ANMF (Vic Branch) as quickly as possible and for as long as is required to resolve the EBA
• direct the ANMF Secretary to provide the required notification to public sector employers of the commencement of protected industrial action (summary below).

Stage 1 protected industrial action to commence at 7am on Tuesday 7 May (includes):

1. Wearing ANMF campaign t-shirts at work
2. Refusal to be redeployed (subject to Branch intervention)
3. Refusal to provide information regarding who is taking protected industrial action
4. Writing campaign messages on vehicles (for example, Hospital in the Home and Community Health)
5. No admin paperwork or data entry, including ambulance offload times
6. Speaking to media, patients etc (with regard to s.141 of the Heath Services Act)
7. Closing beds if staffing is not maintained

Stage 2 protected industrial action to commence at 7am on Friday 17 May (includes):

1. Closing one in 4 beds, one in 4 elective cases and one in 4 referrals
2. Reserving emergency admission beds
3. Stop-work meetings

Members also called on the Victorian Health Minister Mary Anne Thomas, on behalf of the Victorian Government, to ensure that all Victorian public sector health employers facilitate appropriate consultation between ANMF (Vic Branch) officials and staff, and ANMF (Vic Branch) members, to consider all matters concerning our enterprise bargaining agreement.

Next statewide meeting 15 May 2024

Members also determined to convene a further statewide members meeting on Wednesday 15 May 2024 to either:

1. consider a final offer from the Victorian Government that settles members’ claims, and which ANMF can be recommended to members, or
2. confirm progression to stage 2 protected industrial action on Friday 17 May.

ANMF will provide more detailed information about stage 1 protected industrial action in the lead up to 7 May 2024.

Read the resolution

Read the media release

EBA Member Meeting Schedule between 3 – 9 May 2024

ANMF has organised workplace members meetings in as many workplaces as practicable between 3 and 9 May 2024. The aim of these meetings is to provide clear and concise information to ANMF members in each workplace as to the progress of negotiations for their next enterprise agreement and information about any protected industrial action that members may be allowed to take part in.

A further Statewide members meeting may be scheduled for 15 May 2024, but only if there is an offer from Government and employers that meets the claims of ANMF members. In the event that there is no acceptable offer received by ANMF prior to 15 May, Stage 2 of protected industrial action will commence at 7am on Friday 17 May 2024

On Friday 3 May 2024, ANMF member meetings are scheduled to take place in the following workplaces:

On Monday 6 May 2024, ANMF member meetings are scheduled to take place in the following workplaces:

On Tuesday 7 May 2024, ANMF member meetings are scheduled to take place in the following workplaces:

On Wednesday 8 May 2024, ANMF member meetings are scheduled to take place in the following workplaces:

On Thursday 9 May 2024, ANMF member meetings are scheduled to take place in the following workplaces:

Authorised L. Fitzpatrick, Secretary, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, 535 Elizabeth Street Melbourne Vic 3000