Nation-leading pay set for nurses after talks, strikes
Fraser Barton and Alex Mitchell |
The biggest wage increase in more than a decade for a state’s nurses and midwives is set to make them the highest paid in the country.
Queensland’s nurses and midwives have overwhelmingly agreed in-principle to a state government wage offer that will establish Australia’s best pay conditions following months of talks and strikes.
More than three-quarters of union members voted in favour of a wage increase of 11 per cent over three years, with a full ballot to be now taken to all nurses and midwives.
“We are in a very good position to recruit and retain Queensland Health nurses and midwives,” Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary Sarah Beaman said.
A 13 per cent pay rise over three years was initially sought by the union when enterprise bargaining talks began in January.
They have agreed to an 11 per cent increase over three years, marking the biggest wage increase for the state’s nurses and midwives since 2012.
Pay negotiations initially broke down, with about 45,000 workers taking part in industrial action.
However the nurses’ union reached a bargaining consensus with the state government through Queensland Industrial Relations Commission assistance.
More than 77 per cent of respondents to a union survey indicated the deal should be put to all 55,000 of Queensland Health’s midwives and nurses.
Besides the “nation leading” wages, the new deal features overtime paid at double time for all shift workers in what Ms Beaman described as an “Australian first”.
Queensland nurses and midwives will overtake Victoria where public sector nurses and midwives voted to endorse a 28.4 per cent wage increase by November 2027.
In NSW, nurses and midwives remain set for a date with the state’s Industrial Relations Commission despite agreeing to an interim pay increase.
The three per cent interim rise, backdated to July 1, was ticked off by members this week, but is a long way from the union’s ask – a 35 per cent increase over three years.
The case in front of the commission is set for September 30.
“This is not the end of our pay and conditions fight,” NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association general secretary Shaye Candish said.
“We will present evidence around the gendered undervaluation of nurses and midwives’ work and the work value changes our professions have seen over the past 16 years.”
AAP
