Shepparton members attending the 26 June statewide members meeting. Photographer: Cam Matheson
One of the most important documents of your working life is your enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA).
This is a legally enforceable agreement – between your employer and the ANMF – outlining your wages, working conditions, allowances and entitlements.
There are at least 250 different EBAs covering Victorian ANMF members, across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. The life of these EBAs is generally three to four years.
Recently, ANMF completed the 2024-28 public sector nurses and midwives EBA. It’s the state’s largest – covering more than 60,000 nurses and midwives – and that strength in numbers means we can achieve significant improvements to conditions and wages.
The size of the membership covered by the public sector EBA, and their capacity to achieve change, is also what makes this agreement the benchmark for all others.
2024-28 public sector nurses and midwives EBA
Over the life of this agreement, you’ll receive a total 28.4% (compounded) wage increase with your last salary increase rise in late November 2027 and an increase in your allowances in mid April 2028.
For new enrolled nurses in the public sector, you’ll be on pay point 2.3 (EN L2 DIP Y1) with an hourly rate of $35.53.
With year of experience increments, provided you work an average of 24 hours per week, you’ll also move up pay points, making your hourly rate $45.77 (EN L2 DIP Y4) in 2027.
Remember, it’s not just your base wage, its allowances and improved conditions that also make up your total remuneration package.
There’s also increases to shift, change of roster, uniform and laundry allowances and the introduction of the change of ward allowance to name a few. Your EBA* will outline the requirements for eligibility and how it’s paid.
Please download our 2024-28 EBA highlight summary document [PDF] which includes a wages table, allowances summary and key highlights.
*At time of writing, your EBA is undergoing approval by the Fair Work Commission. ANMF will make it available on the member portal once this is completed. We will email members when this happens.
What about other EBAs?
Public sector mental health EBA
Negotiating the Victorian Mental Health Services 2025–2028 EBA has commenced. ANMF represents over 3,000 mental health nurse members across the state. Our members’ log of claims aims to maintain parity with public sector general nurses, with respect to the improvements achieved, including wages. We also have mental health nurse specific claims to address retention and recruitment issues in mental health nursing such as staffing profiles and minimum nursing numbers in community mental health teams.
Private acute EBAs
Expiry dates for private hospital EBAs vary. ANMF St Vincents Private members are currently about to vote on their EBA. ANMF is encouraging our members to vote No at this stage. Preliminary work has begun for the Epworth EBA which expires February 2025.
Private or not-for-profit aged care EBAs
ANMF continues to finalise EBAs with private aged care providers, with Bolton Clarke the most recent. Work is still underway for other members depending on the expiration date of their EBA.
A few things to note
- When you are offered your first nursing job, your employer will send you a letter of offer. Don’t throw this away!
- Scan and file this away safely as it states your classification and pay point, hours of work, commencement date, etc and will be needed for any future claims regarding your pay and conditions.
- Any subsequent letters from your employer should also be scanned and kept.
