Nurses and midwives took the the streets of Launceston to ensure the future of their profession, and to ensure safe and quality health care for Tasmanians.
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Both members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmania branch and of the community marched from the Launceston General Hospital to Civic Square on Saturday.
It was there that ANMF Tasmanian branch secretary Emily Shepherd announced the union’s plan to amp up industrial action.
“The resolutions that have been passed by members in the North of the state are essentially them not agreeing to undertake overtime and double shifts on a Monday every week for a two month period,” she said.
“Obviously it’s framed as industrial action, but as an actual fact this is actually an already agreed entitlement within the current agreement.
“The Tasmanian government has relied on nurses and midwives to do overtime and double shifts just to keep patients safe.”
The union first launched its industrial action in March, with daily vigils held outside the LGH emergency department since July. Recently, union members resolved to ban overtime during elective surgeries in the LGH’s main theatres.
Deputy Labor leader Michelle O’Byrne said she was disappointed the state’s nurses had to go this far.
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“It is really quite a sad day for Tasmania that once again our nurses feel they have to protest in the streets in order to get this minister to listen to them,” she said.
Ms O’Byrne said union members were not only concerned about being some of the lowest paid nurses in the country, but also about patient care and the pressure on them which could impact on the service they provide.
“Clearly the government isn’t in good faith negotiating about the wages and conditions of its staff,” she said. “Staff are putting forward genuine solutions to the pressure they are under in hospitals around the state such as the Launceston General Hospital.”
A state government spokesperson said the government had put a “generous offer” of six per cent across three years on the table for the state’s nurses.
“This is a fair and reasonable offer,” they said.
“The government is investing a record $757 million into our health system over the next six years, to open almost 300 new beds and employ 1300 new staff, this includes 800 new nurses at our state’s hospitals.”
Ms Shepherd said union members had vowed to continued the industrial action until they received an offer from the state government ensuring retention and recruitment of the current nursing and midwifery workforce, and get recognition for their “significant efforts” in the delivery of public health services.
“But more importantly, nurses and midwives strongly believe that these outcomes are not only required for them as individuals, they believe they are integral in ensuring safe and quality patient care for the future,” she said.