Nurses and Midwives Commence Statewide Industrial Action
19 May 2022
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian Branch (ANMF) members across the state will commence industrial action today in pursuit of safe staffing and workloads. The action commences after members across the State endorsed Industrial Action in mass member meetings and via ANMF surveys.
The Action will involve members taking a number of actions after the Tasmanian Government have failed to address members ongoing workloads and workforce shortages despite ANMF calling for a workforce strategy well before borders opened on Wednesday 15 December 2022. Members industrial actions will include:
- Working to rule and claiming all entitlements
- Wearing rainbow colours to work to seek recognition
- Handing out postcards to patients and their families to send to the Premier calling upon the Tasmanian Government to address the nursing and midwifery challenges
The ANMF will be consulting with members across community and district hospitals next week to determine what actions they would also like to their specific settings, and members have not ruled out stop work meetings and bans on double shifts.
“To hear that members are ready to leave the professions that they dearly love due to an inability to provide safe and quality care is simply devastating.” said ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary, Emily Shepherd today.
“The fact that nurses and midwives have been calling for solutions for over 5 months in the Industrial Commission and through the Department of Health and no additional resources have been provided is quite frankly appalling.”
The ANMF have written to the Premier seeking a range of solutions to assist with retention and recruitment and support for a growing number of early career nurses and have indicated that industrial action will continue until members have the resources they need to do their jobs safely.
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Media contact:
Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary
Mobile: 0400 884 021
Email: Emily.Shepherd@anmftas.org.au