SA public nurses accept pay offer

Published Jun 4, 2004

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Friday, 4 June 2004

The public hospital nurses dispute is over, after they voted at a mass meeting last night to accept the South Australian Government's latest pay offer.

The package includes a 16.5 per cent pay rise, eight weeks paid maternity leave, and incentives to move to the country

Industrial Relations Minister Michael Wright says the nurses will get their first pay rise next month, and they deserve it.

"We've had to adapt our position," he said.

"We know that our great nurses deserve a good pay increase, a special payment to attract and make sure that we keep nurses here in South Australia."

Nursing Federation secretary Lee Thomas hailed it as a very significant shift for the profession.

"[it's] the most significant outcome for the last decade, and certainly is the Government's renewal of the profession, both in recruitment and retention terms," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/northandwest/news/200406/s1124377.htm