5 September 2019
Over the last two weeks, the ANMF and your employer have held two Staffing Allocation Model Joint Working Group meetings. The meetings have been very productive, and information is being sought from LHNs that will allow us to test the models under discussion. Next week will switch the focus to staffing allocations in country health services.
In the meantime, the ANMF has also finalised our analysis of the current pay rates for nurses and midwives in South Australia. Our wages objective for this bargaining round has always been to ensure that your rates of pay remain nationally competitive by providing comparable salaries and conditions.
Our analysis confirms that a 3.5% wage increase per year for South Australian public sector nurses and midwives will ensure that your wages are set at levels comparable with those applicable in other states and territories.
This claim has also been considered in the context of the current economic climate and in particular, the slow wages growth that is being experienced across Australia. Whilst we remain mindful of the recent modest wage increases that we are seeing in both public and private sector bargaining, we believe that improved wages growth is necessary for a healthy South Australian economy.
As you are aware, the Marshall Government bargaining principles have stated that no wage increases will be paid retrospectively. Despite this, the ANMF claim will be for back-pay of any wage increase in the event that bargaining is not finalised before 1 October 2019. It is our view that members should not be disadvantaged for bargaining delays and that back pay should be a matter for the negotiating table (like every other), and not a policy of Government.
We encourage members to provide your feedback on the proposed wages claim by contacting our Duty Officer via
[email protected] or on
8334 1900 by no later Friday 13 September 2019. This will enable us to commence discussions with your employer about the wages claim at the next bargaining meeting.