ANMF members have voted to endorse the revised State Government 2025–28 enterprise bargaining agreement offer for public sector mental health nurses at a statewide members’ meeting on Friday 28 March.
The offer includes 46 relevant parity claims from the general nurses agreement including wage parity pay increases for all mental health nurses by the end of the agreement (28.4 per cent (compounded) inclusive of the 1.5% 1 July 2024 increase). It also includes the majority of members’ specific mental health nursing claims.
Members from 19 public sector mental health employers attended the online meeting.
After eight months of negotiations, the Allan Government offer was provided just prior to the statewide members meeting. This is why notification for a paid meeting happened so close to the start of the meeting.
Thank you to members and Job Reps who campaigned for 36 days, wearing their red t-shirt, contacting politicians and media, talking to patients, refusing overtime and redeployment and implementing admin and data bans.
Your actions have been critical to this outcome.
Also critical to this outcome was the Fair Work Commission’s 2024 decision in the ANMF’s aged care work value case. This case is the basis of the significant gender equity increases ANMF achieved in the public sector general nurses enterprise agreement outcome that have flowed onto mental health nurses in this new offer.
The meeting supported ceasing stage one protected industrial action.
Read the statewide meeting presentation outlining what’s in the proposed agreement via anmfvic.asn.au/mhoffer.
Read the statewide meeting resolution via anmfvic.asn.au/resolution28Mar.
ANMF will issue more details around the member-endorsed offer including pay rate and allowance schedules and frequently asked questions next week.
Protected industrial action must now stop
All ANMF protected industrial action must stop by the end of the PM shift on Friday 28 March.
Next steps
Drafting clauses for the relevant mental health nursing sections of the Victorian Mental Health Services 2025-28 Enterprise Agreement will continue.
It is up to the employer to decide when to put the EBA offer to a ballot of all mental health employees, not just ANMF members.
Once approved by an employee ballot, ANMF will seek Victorian Government administrative approval to start paying the pay increases so that members do not have to wait for the Fair Work Commission approval process.
