The ANMF (Tasmanian Branch) have today on behalf of Public Sector Nurses and Midwives accepted the Tasmanian Governments Public Sector Agreement Offer.
ANMF Public Sector Nurses and Midwives Offer Accepted
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery (ANMF) Tasmanian Branch have today on behalf of Public Sector Nurses and Midwives accepted the Tasmanian Governments Public Sector Agreement Offer.
The four-year offer addresses several key concerns for nurses and midwives working in the Tasmanian Health Service including: increased professional development, an additional increment to assist with recruitment and retention as well as improved professional development allowances and trialing of the important Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) role without a patient load in collaboration with the ANMF at the North West Regional Hospital.
ANMF members have voted over the last week and the votes returned have shown an over whelming majority voting to accept the offer.
ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said ‘Following a revised offer from Government, ANMF surveyed members to seek their view and they have supported the offer. We know that this gives nurses and midwives the best offer across the public sector and we believe that this is recognition by the Tasmanian government of the dedication of the nurses and midwives working in the public sector under significant pressure’.
The wage offer is consistent with the broader public sector, however with the additional increments and the increased professional development allowance, the overall base salary of public sector nurses and midwives will be higher in order to assist with retention and allowance.
‘We know that the offer will not address every concern for public sector nurses and midwives and we have not achieved parity with other states and territories but this offer will considerably close the gap in the pay differential and importantly support nurses and midwives to access permanent positions. This will also allow ANMF to work collaboratively with THS to trial and evaluate the ANUM role to gather the required evidence to allow this role to be without a patient load in the future.’
While drafting is still required, the new agreement will be registered as soon as possible with back pay and the additional increment to occur upon registration.
“The ANMF look forward to focusing on supporting all nurses and midwives in the public sector in addressing the remaining challenges of access block, lack of capacity and building the permanent workforce of nurses and midwives for the future.”
The Caseload Midwifery Agreement was also voted up, in December, by a majority of members who are covered by that Agreement.
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Media contact:
Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary
Mobile: 0400 884 021
Email: Emily.shepherd@anmftas.org.au
Published 22nd January 2020