EBA 2011 - here we go again

[talaxandra]

On Wednesday Victorian nurses will be meeting at Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne to discuss the upcoming Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations between ANF (who represents nurses) and the government.

The last EBA, in 2007, involved the nastiest intimidation I've seen in 19 years of industrial disputes in nursing, with blatant bullying from management. It took place after the introduction of WorkChoices, a Liberal Federal government policy that significantly diminished the capacity for employees to take industrial action. The first serious industrial action after the legislation was passed, the whole of unionised Australia watched this test case, and I suspect there's never been more pressure on admin to force us to back down.

That would certainly explain the unprecedented bullying tactics and threats I not only heard about but witnessed. Like many nurses, I was docked pay in 4/24 blocks for dropping my patient load by one and closing a bed - my hospital wouldn't let us put those closed beds in one area but compelled any nurse who stood by bed closures to sacrifice pay. I worked eight night shifts, in charge with a patient load, over two weekends, and was docked the lot.

We held strong, in the face of threats and with the possibility of fines and jail time for ordinary union members, and had the backing of workers across the country. I still get a little choked up remembering that walk from the buses to Festival Hall, the street lined with members of other unions cheering us on. I was convinced that, for the first time since 1986, we were going to have to back down or take strike action - the government had been totally unwilling to budge on anything, wanting not only to give us no pay or condition improvements but also to remove the world's first nurse: patient ratios.

And then the state secretary stepped on the stage, a little later than expected, fresh from a 12th-hour meeting. The government had conceded almost every point, in exchage for renegotiation in four years, rather than the usual three year term that would mean negotiations during the state election. The thousands of nurses present were jubilant, and it was just amazing. WorkChoices was removed by the incoming Federal Labor government soon after.

That four years has gone remarkably quickly, and here we are again. Despite a convincing number of studies demonstrating a clear relationship between a better educated nursing workforce and better patient outcomes (including the essential bottom line results of shorter bed stays, fewer complications, fewer transfers to ICU and fewer readmissions), once again the spectre of unlicensed staff replacing nurses is raised. Despite the massive improvement on retention and recruitment of ratios, they're also threatened. And now there are whispers of a new innovation - split shifts with time off between nursing periods, to reduce floor staff in quieter periods - four hours on, two hours off and two hours on, for example. I'm not sure when these hypothetically quieter periods are, but according to bean counters somewhere, they exist.

This is the seventh time I've been involved in a campaign of industrial action. I'm so tired of gearing up for this ritual every three (or, in this case, four) years. Of knowing that, in the end, we'll get what we want but only if enough of us fight hard enough. Of trying to engage junior nurses, who weren't here last time, in participating despite the short-term cost of missing out on a few hours of pay. Of having to educate the public, again, about how important it is to have qualified staff caring for them and for their families. Of convincing my non-nursing colleagues that this affects them, and their patients, too. Of short-sighted governments focusing on the biggest part of the salary budget as an expense instead of the whole point of patient stays, and a necessary evil to keep bed stays as short as they are. Of admin, who started out on the floor but have become more concerned about pleasing their superiors than supporting their staff.

But then I think of the support from patients, families and the general public. I think about how unifying it is to work together toward a common goal, one that benefits not only us but those coming in to the profession after us, and the recipients of our care. And I think about my family, and myself, who will one day need skilled nursing staff caring for them - educated nurses whose expertise can make the difference between life and death, between comfort and distress, between being heard and being a task. And I feel ready to do this again.

On Wednesday Victorian nurses will be meeting at Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne to decide how best to respond to offers that disrespect the work we do, the care we provide, and the indispensible role we play in the health and welfare of Victoria's citizens. For those AN members in the state, I hope to see you there. And I hope the rest of you will support us.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Talaxandra, you have my ongoing support!

I don't think our government - or any gov't - concedes what we do as professional and we are not seen as 'professionals' (see my other, earlier rant in general nursing discussions). Nurses have always had to fight for the slightest concessions, bugger the patients it seems.

Work Choices was a poor package from the get go; I don't think anyone bought it or would have voted for it. But have things changed at all? I remember as a nursing student years ago and as a nurse assistant we did split shifts - and it was absolutely horrible. We would drive down town on our break, or go home to relax, and you would not want to go back to work. So ur day seems longer; you might have started at 7am and if you have say, 3-4 hours off inbetween, you didn't end up finishing until maybe 8pm, or had to stay a little longer if it got busy. I absolutely hated it. That's why I don't do late/earlies anymore - it's too much like a split shift (& for other reasons). And I do wonder as well where the quiet time is? Sometimes after handover in the afternoon at a private hospital it may be quiet, but never in a public institution.

Until there is more advertising and awareness of the conditions nurses have to work under, not much will change. And until we all go on strike (or as many of us that can, go on strike), not much will change until the gov't recognises our agenda and treats us like the professionals we are.

[ceridwyn]

The bullying went on at our local hospital as well. Management had their admin staff 'patrolling' the wards taken notes of names that had refused to take an admission then deducting 4 hours pay.

One nurse that had worked full time for 2 weeks received $23.00 that fortnight.

Unfortunately I cannot make it to the meeting, but all country nurses and our communities are supporting a new EBA for nurses for the better and thank our city counterparts for their voice seems to be taken notice of more so than us in the country. Some are planning to come down by the buses provided by the ANF.

It is strange that only in Victoria, that the type of intimidation seems to happen. Labour was the government in charge last EBA, if it had been a 'mens' union like the ETU, they would never have even tried docking pay.

The teachers just got a new pay rise without any industrial action and no proof of higher percentages of learning in any of the key areas of literacy or mathematics. and no media coverage advertsing the fact.

We are the least paid in Australia...this was thought as we had patient ratios, so be it, this is no longer the case.

Good luck at the meeting, we shall see what happens this time!

[talaxandra]

I'm on sick leave at the moment (atypcial pneumonia - all praise roxithromycin!) so tomorrow will be the first day in a week that I've left the house ot go furhter than the doctor's but I'm going.

I love the wonderful innovations the Bailleu government are offering us - I think my favourite is broken shifts, because I've also wanted to interrupt my shift for an unpaid two hour break. I think that'd be even more awesome somewhere less close to ammenities than my hospital

I've posted a few comments on my FaceBook page and may have stirred the apathy of some colleagues, but I suspect it's going to be yet another long, hard battle. And as you point out, Ceridwyn, they don't mess the other unions about, even though history comprehensively demonstrates that after all the sturm und drang we'll get what we want, with the public behind us.

[ceridwyn]

Yes the split shifts are wonderful, they are back to the early 1930's with that one, I remember older nurses I worked with in the 70's telling us about those.

Hope you get better soon.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Yeh hope u get better Talax :) :)

[talaxandra]

Thank you both :) I'm certainly heading in the right direction, but the fatigue's killing me - I generally prefer a shower to be the start of my day rather than a planned event with a rest period afterward!

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Talax, how did your EBA negotiations go? R u feeling better.

[talaxandra]

Hi Carol, thanks for asking :)

I'm certainly on the improve but have no appetite, no puff and no energy so I'm off work for another week (fastest GP visit ever!). In July I celebrated my birthday by hiking 5,000 feet up a mountain in Washington; on Wednesday I was out of breath walking from the bus to Dallas Brooks Hall!

The meeting went well, unlike negotiations - the government offer includes such delights as overtime at base rate, including AINs in the ratios, unlimited short (4, 5 and 6/24) shifts, the removal of ACN's, the removal of a DON on each campus, the option to move nurses between wards and even campuses mid-shift, and my personal favourite, broken shfts. Apparently many nurses are clamouring to work (and this is the example VHIA gave Lisa Fitzpatrick, the Vic ANF secretary) from 7-9:30 and then from 11-15:30 They also want to take weekend penalty rates from mental health nurses.

I didn't know that, in contrast to the global trend, nurses in Victoria are getting younger - our average is now 44.3 from 45.1 in just 4 years, fewer than 20% are over 55 (and don't get me wrong, we need experience but we also need young bodies and fresh blood!), and that 23% of all nurses are EN's, which is a third of all EN's in the country. Take away the ratios and we'll lose all that

We've got a ballot about taking protected industrial action, with another meeting on November 4th. I have a nasty suspicion that we're looking at another lengthy, unpleasant bout of negotiations and bed closures before anything's signed, particularly as there are police, emergency department and ambo issues in Victoria. Watch this spot!

[ceridwyn]

We are going through restructure at work as well.. and I am waiting to see where it all goes.

At the present time I am not getting paid same as my colleagues for the same work, same post grad (much too their dismay, as we have only just started comparing). They are paid 2 grades higher!!

My employer (public) is offering other nurses in our area, higher grade pay ( 1 grade up from me) and they do not even have post grad education, then all this....just feel like taking off and taking the checkout job at safeway....more respect and you get asked back how you are feeling now and again.....

[talaxandra]

That's all quite sucky (((ceridwyn))).

[ceridwyn]

Have you sent your ballot vote in yet! Mine went in today....

Yes, feeling a bit sorry for myself.....the squeaky people get the oil, as they say...