ANMF has called a statewide public sector meeting for members to consider an offer from the Victorian Government of a 28.4% (compounded) wage increase by the end of the four year of the agreement. As it is a meeting to consider endorsement of the offer, it will be a paid meeting.
The offer is an in-principle agreement subject to both cabinet approval and member endorsement prior to a formal vote of all Victorian public sector nurses and midwives.
The offer comes after intensive discussions between ANMF and senior representatives from the Department of Health and the Allan Government. Talks continued late into Friday evening and concluded this afternoon. ANMF will send members a further update on Monday in advance of the statewide members meeting, with detail of the improvements offered.
The offer:
- provides certainty and timing regarding each wage increase for employees of all classifications across the life of the agreement
- retains the improved and new allowances and penalties and improved terms and conditions previously negotiated.
The offer does not include cash bonus payments. In response to member feedback this money has been included in the wage increases and contributes to the overall 28.4% wage increase and other improvements.
The members-only meeting will be held across nine venues on Wednesday 26 June, 2pm – 3.30pm.
The purpose of the meeting is for members to consider whether or not to endorse the offer which would then go to a formal ballot of all public sector nurses and midwives in coming weeks.
Thank you to all members who have maintained stage one protected industrial action during these discussions. Your actions have been critical to this outcome.
Stage one protected industrial action remains in place.
ANMF members employed in the general and aged care public sector, and standalone community health centres are invited to attend the paid statewide members meeting.
Meeting details
Date: Wednesday 26 June 2024
Time: 2pm – 3.30pm (doors open from 1.15pm)
Locations: Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre and eight regional satellite venues at Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mildura, Shepparton, Traralgon, Wangaratta and Warrnambool.
- Ensure your ward, unit or workplace is represented.
- Wear your red campaign t-shirt (t-shirts also available at the door). Bring your placards and signs.
I’m a regional rep coming to the Delegates Conference; what should I do?
Depending on where you live, you may want to attend your closest regional meeting and travel to Melbourne afterwards, or attend the Melbourne meeting. Speak to your Organiser if you have any concerns.
Questions about the meeting
1.How will the meeting run?
The format will be the same as the first statewide meeting on 21 March, which livestreamed the Melbourne meeting into multiple regional venues. We will have 90 minutes for the meeting.
The meeting agenda will allocate time for members to:
- hear a verbal report explaining the offer in addition to the printed materials provided
- ask questions about the offer
- consider the next steps
- vote on whether to endorse the offer to be put to a formal ballot of all nurses and midwives covered by the EBA.
2. How will the offer be presented?
Elected officials will provide a verbal update on the discussions over the past few weeks and a detailed summary of the wage increases.
At the meeting, ANMF will provide members with printed information about the wages offer for each classification and the new and improved allowances, penalties, and terms and conditions.
3. Why can’t the meeting be sooner?
The timeframe provides ANMF time to organise nine meeting venues and livestreaming technology and to prepare and print information to hand out at the meeting (and take back to your colleagues).
It also allows members time to make arrangements with their manager if they are rostered on to work at the time of the meeting, or to swap an afternoon or night shift to enable them to attend.
4. Why isn’t there an online option?
We seriously considered having an online component, but we cannot guarantee:
- that only members are attending, in order to facilitate a safe, secure meeting for full and frank discussion
- a secure vote for members
- everyone gets a fair opportunity to ask questions.
Eight satellite venues will provide regional members greater access to the meeting and the opportunity to actively participate in the process.
Ensure your ward, unit or workplace is represented. Talk to your colleagues and Job Reps about who can represent you at this meeting.
5. I can’t attend the meeting; how will I know what happened?
ANMF will send an EBA campaign update after the meeting. Workplace meetings will be scheduled from July following the ANMF Annual Delegates Conference on 27 and 28 June.
6. How will the voting process work?
After hearing a report from ANMF’s elected officials, members at the nine venues will vote on whether they endorse the offer to be put to a formal ballot of all public sector nurses and midwives covered by the EBA.
Members across venues will vote via a show of hands.
7. Why isn’t the meeting vote electronic?
ANMF has explored options using a secure electronic ballot agent such as Vero, which conducted the protected industrial action ballot.
Vero requires the voting list 24 hours prior to the vote. This would mean not everyone at the meeting would necessarily get a vote – for example if you didn’t register 24 hours or more in advance but attended one of the venues for the meeting you would not receive the voting link.
Other electronic voting options we have explored are not secure, and none enable real time voting outcomes.
8. Will all members get a vote?
Yes.
It’s a two-part process:
- Members at the statewide meeting are voting on whether or not to endorse the offer to go to a formal ballot.
- All public sector nurses and midwives will then vote on the full draft enterprise agreement in the formal ballot. This will be similar to the protected industrial action electronic ballot. This is a legal requirement under the Fair Work Act 2009.
All employees covered by the agreement will be provided with the full draft agreement and summary documents outlining the changes seven days before the formal vote opens.
9. Why don’t all members get a vote to endorse the offer?
The reason only members at the meeting can vote to endorse the offer is because they have heard the elected officials’ report, had the opportunity to ask questions and hear the answers, and discussed the next steps including ─ what happens if the offer is rejected.
The aim is to get a representative indication from members as to whether you believe the offer is ready to be put to a formal ballot of all nurses and midwives.
This is how members meetings take place across workplaces at all levels and ensures an informed and democratic process.
Every member will get to vote in the subsequent formal ballot.
Frequently asked questions about what a ‘paid’ meeting means
What do you mean by a ‘paid meeting’?
If you are rostered to work at the time of the meeting, members will be paid by their employer for their rostered hours for the period of the meeting and reasonable travel time to and from their workplace.
If your attendance at the meeting and reasonable travel time from your workplace exceeds your rostered hours, you won’t be paid beyond your rostered shift.
I’m not rostered on shift at the time of the meeting and I want to attend. Do I need to let my manager know that I’m attending?
No.
I am rostered on at the time of the meeting and want to attend. Do I need to let my manager know that I will be attending?
Yes. You should let your NUM/MUM know as soon as possible to enable them to manage your absence.
How much will I be paid if I attend the ANMF paid meeting?
The meeting and reasonable travel time to and from the meeting will be paid as “ordinary time” for the period you would have otherwise been rostered to be at work.
What is reasonable travel time?
Reasonable travel time is the time it takes to get to the meeting from your workplace, and return, typically by buses arranged by the ANMF.
Who manages staffing numbers for the time of the meeting?
Managers are responsible for adequate staffing. Night shift equivalent staffing levels should be maintained for the period of the meeting (and the reasonable travel time) to allow members to attend the paid meeting.
This may mean that health services need to plan for having less staff available. If the number of people wanting to attend on a particular shift means that staffing levels will be less than night shift equivalent staffing levels, and there is no capacity to top staffing levels up, then it may be reasonable to decline some attendance.
What happens if my manager says I can’t attend the meeting?
Contact the ANMF straight away and let us know so that we can assist.
If I’m not rostered at the time of the meeting, will I be paid?
If the meeting and reasonable travel time occurs outside the rostered shift, you will not be paid for the meeting.
If the meeting, and reasonable travel time, means that you return to your workplace after the PM shift has commenced, then you will suffer no loss of pay for that period.
If I’m rostered on night shift on 26 June and I attend the meeting, what impact does this have on my night shift?
Nothing. You can either work your rostered shift that night or apply for leave.
