Public sector members have been waiting since the end of June for the chance to formally vote for the 2024–2028 EBA. It has been a longer than desired and frustrating wait but I’m very pleased that the voting dates have now been locked in: the access period will officially commence on Monday 9 September, running until Sunday 15 September; and the ballot period will open on Monday 16 September and finish on Friday 20 September.
I know the delay has caused concern to some members, but this part of the process is unfortunately out of our control.
Every word and clause of the almost-300-page member-endorsed agreement had to have the i’s dotted and t’s crossed by the lawyers and all relevant bargaining parties, including ANMF, the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association (VHIA), and the Victorian government. This all takes time.
The final draft is also legally required to be provided to other bargaining agents for their approval. This included the Health Services Union and, for the first time, the NPAV (which advised that it was the bargaining agent for two members).
Part of the delay has also been related to the national Secure Jobs Better Pay 2024 legislative amendments to the Fair Work Act, which came into effect in July of this year. These changes are mostly procedural, but they have added extra time.
How will the ballot work?
One of those legislative changes, however, means that voting for this EBA will be slightly different compared to previous public sector agreements.
As always, it is the employer – not ANMF – that organises this vote, because under the Fair Work Act it is employers who ask employees to approve an agreement by voting for it. This is different to the protected industrial action ballot earlier in the year, which was organised by ANMF (your employers were not asking you to vote to take protected industrial action!).
So if you do not receive a ballot you must follow this up with your employer ASAP, as they are the ones who have provided to the independent ballot agent your work email address.
As always, employers are also legally obliged to provide all employees who will be covered by the agreement with relevant information – including the Summary of Changes and the full draft agreement – during the access period that begins this Monday 9 September.
ANMF will also be providing members with relevant information during the access period, summarising the key changes and percentage wage increases and their dates of effect.
The vote will again be through an electronic ballot conducted by Vero. All eligible employees – that is, nurses and midwives covered by the agreement – get a vote. This includes casual bank staff and non-ANMF members.
What has changed with the Secure Jobs Better Pay legislative amendments is that this time a majority of those who vote at each employer must vote yes.
Previously, the majority of those covered by the agreement had to vote yes for the agreement to be approved and to apply to all employees. Now, however, if there isn’t a majority yes vote at a particular employer, then that employer – and its employees – will not be covered by the agreement.
In other words, if the majority of nurses and midwives at your employer do not vote yes, your employer will be removed from the agreement and you and your colleagues will not receive the ANMF-negotiated benefits.
This is why it’s vital that you vote, that you vote YES, and that all your colleagues also vote and VOTE YES. Please talk to your colleagues. Make sure they’re voting. And encourage them to vote YES too.
Welcome back Maddy Harradence
At the end of August, we welcomed Assistant Secretary Madeleine Harradence back from parental leave. It’s wonderful to have Maddy back on deck.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary Paul Gilbert is still enjoying his well-deserved long service leave. The Branch and I look forward to his return, rested and refreshed, in January.
While Paul is on leave, Samantha Casey will continue as acting assistant secretary.
I want to thank Libby Muir, who has been acting in the assistant secretary role for the past couple of months. Now that Maddy is back, Libby has returned to her professional officer role.
I will also be on leave for some time during part of November and December. While I am away, Maternity Services Officer Nicole Allan will act in the assistant secretary role alongside Sam, and Maddy will be acting Secretary. All very capable hands.
