INDUSTRIAL action could affect Gawler Hospital from as early as next week, with the state’s nurses’ union doubling down on demands for better working conditions.
Enterprise agreement negotiations between the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) South Australia and the State Government have been ongoing since June, with the union calling for measures to ensure safe staffing and the retention of the workforce.
As reported in The Bunyip last week, an “overwhelming” majority of nurses and midwives voted to take industrial action a fortnight ago, but on Monday the union confirmed it would be taken next week if an agreement could not be reached.
If industrial action was to go ahead, it would affect the region’s public hospitals, such as Gawler Hospital, as well as the Lyell McEwin and Tanunda hospitals.
ANMF SA chief executive officer Elizabeth Dabars said the union’s members had not made the decision to strike lightly.
“Ensuring the delivery of the best possible care to the community is at the heart of what it means to be a nurse or a midwife,” she said.
“Nurses and midwives would much prefer to be getting on with their calling of providing the safe, quality care to South Australians.
“The sad reality is that nurses and midwives feel they are left with little choice but to take industrial action to get the State Government to sit up and take notice of the patient safety implications that are significantly at risk.”
She added union members were still to decide what type of action they would take if an agreement can’t be reached, but reiterated it wouldn’t affect patient care.
Treasurer Rob Lucas said nurses taking industrial action would be “premature”, despite negotiations beginning in June.
“The government values our nurses and the important work they do in the community,” he said.
“Enterprise bargaining negotiations between the government and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA) began in June this year.
“Discussions are continuing in good faith. “As such, whilst we respect the right of the union to take industrial action, it would seem premature given the early stage of negotiations.”
