Liam McNally
Maternal and child health nurses and immunisation nurses at Melton council will stop work as part of industrial action in a bid to secure a wage rise and improved conditions.
The nurses started the protected industrial action on Monday, March 27, which will involve wearing red campaign T-shirts and stopping work to have have discussions with new parents and members of the community about the dispute.
Maternal and child health nurses, provide early assessment, identification and intervention for children and families. They also identify and refer vulnerable families at risk of family violence or distress due to financial, disability, mental health or new migrant issues.
Enterprise bargaining negotiations between the Victorian branch of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and Melton council began in May 2022. The current EBA expired in mid-2022. The nurses’ last pay rise was in July 2021.
The council area’s population increased by 6709 people or 4.6 per cent between 2020 and 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. During this time Melton families welcome an estimated 49 new babies a week, according to the union.
The ANMF said the nurses are seeking a three-year agreement with an annual four per cent wage rise and an additional week’s annual leave in line with the wider nursing profession and neighbouring councils. The Council is offering a 2.5 per cent per annum increase over three years.
ANMF Vic branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said a “fair wage rise and improved working conditions are the only way to retain experienced maternal and child health and immunisation nurses and attract additional nurses to meet the growing needs of 50 new babies and their families in the area“.
Melton council city life director Troy Scoble said Melton’s maternal and child health service “remains under pressure, mainly due to our high local birth rate, along with a shortage of fully qualified Maternal and Child Health nurses across the state“.
“We have recently engaged with staff to understand the sentiment around the wage and entitlements offer made late last year and we look forward to returning to enterprise agreement negotiations in good faith this week,“ he said.
