ANMF members gather for more strike action at the Hobart Repatriation Hospital
28 July 2022
STRIKE ACTION
When: 2pm, TODAY, Thursday 28 July 2022
Where: Hobart Repatriation Hospital, 90 Davey Street
Speakers: Emily Shepherd (ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary)
MEDIA DOORSTOP
When: 2.15pm, TODAY, Thursday 28 July 2022
Where: Hobart Repatriation Hospital, 90 Davey Street
Who: Emily Shepherd (ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary) and ANMF Nursing and Midwifery representatives
After an exceptional turnout yesterday outside the Royal Hobart Hospital, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Tasmanian Branch is holding further strike action at the Hobart Repatriation Hospital, urging the state government to implement safer workloads and ensure quality patient care.
Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary said yesterday’s incredible turnout has buoyed members to continue their industrial action.
“We had more than 300 Nurses, Midwives and Assistants in Nursing, and 200 additional virtual attendees turnout to ensure their voices were heard. It sent a very strong message to the government that enough is enough.”
The state government has offered to start Enterprise Agreement (EA) negotiations early if the ANMF stops the strike action and vacates the Workload and Workforce Dispute in the Tasmanian Industrial Commission (TIC).
Ms Shepherd said bringing forward negotiations was not the answer and said nurses were asking for conditions they were already entitled to under the current agreement.
“We don’t want to sit down to negotiations and negotiate existing entitlements that need to be met.
“There’s an obligation on the Tasmanian government to meet those entitlements such as safe staffing, ensuring that there are safe workloads, ensuring our members aren’t working onerous amounts of double shifts and overtime – that is already an entitlement in the existing agreement.”
In addition, the ANMF is seeking a variety of immediate clinical resources, such as clinical coaches, to provide support to nurses and midwives through their own individual novice to expert transition.
“We’re hoping the government will come to the table with concrete solutions we can put back to members and, potentially, call off our strike action.
“If not, then our members have resolved to escalate their strike action, and that might mean striking for longer than 15 minutes, and it will also include the ANMF considering arbitration on the issues before the Tasmanian Industrial Commission,” Ms Shepherd said.
Strike Action is planned at the Launceston General Hospital next Wednesday at 1.30pm, and there are also plans for two in the north-west.
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Media contact:
Emily Shepherd, ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary
Mobile: 0400 884 021
Email: Emily.Shepherd@anmftas.org.au