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Everywhere Arnold Schwarzenegger
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WHAT’S program ON
nswna education
sw
THIS MONTH
Nurses turn against s Managing aggression in the
the Terminator workplace
7 June, Orange – 1 day
Skills and strategies to manage
unacceptable workplace
Stop Ar ACTION behaviour.
n o l d ’s A ALERT Members $85.00
o n Wo r tta
king Pe ck
Non-members $226.00
Branch officials $74.00
ople s Basic foot care for RNs and ENs
Lead th
e Fight (VETAB accredited course)
Join th !
e mas
rally ag sive 14-15 June, Westmead – 2 days
Schwarz ainst
corpora enegger’s Equips nurses with the
May 25,
2005 wi
administ
ratio
ll witnes
s the tw te corru
Schwarze n — in Los Ange
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and retir ta cr ainst the
ement be rgeting educatio amento. Paying Schwarze
with patie
nefits. Nu n fu
rses, teac nding, patient
back his
safe
corporat
negger
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foot care.
nts, cons hers and
umers, un firefighter ty, teacher job ,
ion mem s will lead security, Members $203.00
We d n e s bers and
working
the rally
families along
d a y, M a y . Non-members $350.00
25, 20 Branch officials $175.00
Pershing
Rally 4:0
0 pm 05
530 Sou Square, s Professional education day
th Olive Los Ange
S les
treet / W
For m e st Fifth S
o re in fo rm treet 22 June, Queanbeyan – 1 day
CNA: A a ti o n ,
VOICE FO c a ll 8
1 8 -6 Root cause analysis, disciplinary
www.caln
R NURSES 3 7 -7 1
15
~ A VISIO
urses.org
N FOR HE proceedings, procedural fairness
ALTHCARE
E
verywhere Arnold Schwarzenegger and performance management.
goes these days, he’s dogged by ‘We 040805
Free
the irate California nurses union.
Nurses turn up to protest at every
take extreme s Legal and professional issues for
nurses
corporate fundraiser held for the actor- credit for his poll 30 June, Coffs Harbour – 1/2 day
turned-governor of the biggest state in
the USA. numbers dropping like Potential liability,
documentation, writing
The California Nurses Association
(CNA) says Schwarzenegger is doing the
a rock.’ statements. Participants will
gain increased understanding
bidding of powerful corporate donors The union can take some of the of the Nurses and Midwives Act
to his campaign fund, including private responsibility for the governor’s recent 1991 and the role of disciplinary
hospital chains, insurance companies and job approval rating sinking to 43%. It tribunals including Nurses and
pharmaceutical companies. didn’t help when he called nurses ‘a Midwives Board.
According to the CNA, corporate special interest group’ and boasted that he Members $39.50
interests have donated tens of millions ‘kicked their butts’. Non-members $85.00
of dollars to Schwarzenegger’s campaign ‘We take extreme credit for his poll Branch officials $28.00
fund. In return he has sought to numbers dropping like a rock,’ CNA’s
overthrow the State’s nurse-to-patient safe executive director Rose Ann DeMoro said. For registration and more
staffing ratios, and tried to abolish the In January the governor tried to dissolve information:
Board of Registered Nursing. the Board of Registered Nursing, which CNA go to www.nswnurses.
The nurses’ rebellion against the officials believe was an act of retaliation. asn.au or ring Carolyn
governor started six months ago when The board is the equivalent of Kulling on 1300 367 962
Schwarzenegger issued a stop on a 1999 the NSW Nurses Registration Board.
law that established a one-to-five nurse- Schwarzenegger proposed saving money
to-patient ratio in California. by handing the board’s job to the p Correction
The law was scheduled to go into Department of Consumer Affairs, under The May issue of The Lamp featured
effect in January 2005, but the governor the group that investigates complaints the Statement of Financial Position of
issued an emergency order to block it and against the vehicle industry! the NSWNA. The right hand column
subsequently took the matter to court. Schwarzenegger did not even in part 2 of the table should have
The nurses won the first round in know that the members of the Board of read 2003 not 2005. The Auditor’s
March, when the state Superior Court Registered Nursing receive no monetary certificate should have been dated
upheld the legislation. Schwarzenegger is compensation. He was forced to back off 5 April 2005 not 2004.
appealing the decision. from that idea following a public outcry. n
THE LAMP JUNE 2005 11
s C E V S N B I
N O W E R I S T O R YE F
Spirited campaign delivers 14%
pay rise and top conditions
g On top of a very good pay rise, we have also
won excellent conditions and entitlements that
will enhance the ability of nurses to balance family Commitment to fund
and work commitments, provide recognition
10-hour night shifts
of nurses’ skills and education and increase
for 60 more facilities
The government has committed to fund
protection against unfair treatment at work. 10-hour night shifts at 60 more facilities
from 2006. This condition will help
nurses to better plan their lives around
N
urses have won a 14% shift work.
pay rise in the face of
total opposition from the
Carr State government
to any increase of more
than 12%.
The Industrial Relations Commission
has increased the pay nurses will receive
between now and 2008 in a binding
decision issued on 20 May.
The Commission has fast tracked
the first pay rise so it is immediately
back paid to January 2005, with the
next increase to take place this July as
opposed to January next year. ‘This wage rise means
The pay increases will be:
c 3% from 1 January 2005 (back pay
that between 2000
to be paid) and 2007 nurses will
c a further 3% from 1 July 2005
c a further 4% from 1 July 2006 have received a 39.5%
c a further 4% from 1 July 2007. ’
increase in base pay.
NSWNA General Secretary Brett
Holmes says the pay result, combined study leave and union delegates’
with the raft of excellent conditions recognition and training.
won in the new agreement, is a very ‘This result is very significant when
good outcome for nurses after a hard- seen in a wider political context where the
fought campaign.
‘This is a substantial increase on
federal government is preparing to attack
workers’ award conditions and rights.’
Midwives
the government’s original offer. This Brett said the main claim not recognised in
wage rise means that between 2000 and
2007 nurses will have received a 39.5%
achieved in this campaign is an increase
to night duty penalty payments, which
award
increase in base pay.’ Midwives will be now
the Government and NSW Health
‘Some of the improvements in specifically recognised
refused to negotiate on.
conditions include a $15 per-week base in the award.
‘The NSWNA will campaign to
pay increase for ENs with medication achieve a negotiated improvement or
endorsement, pay reviews for CNSs, running a test case in the Commission at
CNEs and NEs to be done in 2005-06 the end of this wages agreement 2008.
and funding of 10-hour night shifts in ‘NSW nurses have done well to
60 more hospitals, starting in 2006. improve the standing of the nursing
There is also a significant increase in profession with better pay and more
paid maternity leave from 9 to 14 family friendly conditions. We now have
weeks and one week’s paid paternity defend these gains from being clawed
leave, and the new award will guarantee back by the Howard government.’n
12 THE LAMP JUNE 2005
c 3% from 1 January 2005
WHAT c Further 3% from 1 July 2005
WE’VE c Further 4% from 1 July 2006
c Further 4% from 1 July 2007
WON This year’s 3% pay rise is to be
back paid to 1 January, giving an Review of pay
IN PAY rates
RN year 8 over $800 in lump sum
back pay for the first increase.
There will be a review of
the CNE, NE, CNS and AIN
undergraduate student
classifications. The reviews
More union Recognition for will enable the NSWNA to
rights, more ENs pursue higher pay for these
classifications.
ENs who undertake additional
protection education and responsibility
for administering medication
For the first time, we have receive recognition through
an award clause that extra pay.
protects union delegates
and guarantees their right
to spend time on union
business and education
during work time.
Groundbreaking
maternity leave
Paid maternity and adoption leave
will increase from 9 to 14 weeks and
one week’s paternity leave will be
introduced.
THE LAMP JUNE 2005 13
s C E V S N B I
N O W E R I S T O R YE F
HAVING YOUR
SAY ON THE Members
CONDITIONS agree,
c Branches now need to meet
to vote
conditions
c The vote is to accept the offer
on improved conditions are tops
c The pay increase has already
been determined in a binding
‘I’M VERY HAPPY
decision by Industrial WITH THE RESULTS ’
Commission.
c Robyn Jillings will also enjoy the
There is no vote on this extra $15 per week as an endorsed EN
For more information visit the at St Vincent’s Hospital. ‘The training
was quite demanding on my time. The
Association website at www. proposed extra $15 per week goes
nswnurses.asn.au some way to recognising my extra
skills. I’m very happy with the results
we achieved. It was a good pay rise and
Your vote is the expansion of 10-hour night shifts to
important extra facilities is also a good idea. You
work longer but it means one less shift
Branch secretaries will receive per week.’
by email and post an
information and voting EXTRA PAY
instructions kit. It will be also
RECOGNISES
posted on the NSWNA website.
OLIVE’S
HARD WORK
All NSWNA branches need
c Olive MacKenzie, EN at RPA
to hold a meeting by close of Hospital, says she worked hard to
business Thursday, 9 June, to gain the skills and qualifications
required to administer medication.
endorse the conditions and ‘ENs deserve to be paid extra
entitlements we have fought so for this effort. Being recognised
hard for during the campaign. through extra pay will encourage
other ENs to do the training so they
To gain these conditions and can be endorsed.’
benefits, members need to vote
‘yes’ to the award – even if there
are individual conditions not
CONDITIONS JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS PAY RISE
relevant to you. It’s the whole
c As a CNS at St Vincent’s Hospital,
package that members will be Sharon Boys hopes the proposed
voting for – ‘no’ to one condition review of her classification next year
means no to all. will deliver an additional pay rise on
top of the 14%. Sharon says nurses
feel more respected and valued with
the decent pay rise and proposed
improved conditions. ‘The conditions
are just as important as the pay.’
14 THE LAMP JUNE 2005
HELEN AND JULIA GET MORE
TIME WITH THEIR BABIES
c With her baby due in early August, the
proposed additional paid maternity leave
comes as a big relief to Helen Saitannis
(right), RN at St George Hospital.
‘I feel more peace of mind. I will
be able to take extra time off to
spend with my baby without
worrying about how we are
going to pay the mortgage.
It’s very important to be
able to spend time with
my baby.’
c With one week
to go before she
commences maternity
leave, the increase in
paid leave is ‘fantastic
news’ to Julia Martin,
RN at St Vincent’s
Hospital. ‘It’s a huge
financial burden when
you have to stop work.
This will make a big
difference to my family.
I’m planning to take
double leave at half pay so
I can spend extra time with
my baby. This means I will
have an extra 10 weeks to feed
and nurture my baby.’
THE PEOPLE OF NSW ARE BEHIND NURSES
As part of the ‘No Fix Without Nurses’ campaign, the NSWNA asked members of the
public to show their support of a decent pay rise for nurses by sending a campaign
postcard to the NSW government.
17,000 people showed their support for nurses by sending in a postcard, and a truckload
were delivered to Premier Bob Carr’s office, turning up the heat on the government to do
the right thing by our nurses.
Phillip Sheard (right), CNE and secretary of the Sydney Hospital/Sydney Eye Hospital branch, and
Lesley Hackett, NUM, delivered 17,000 postcards from the public to the Premier on behalf of the NSWNA.
The NSWNA wishes to thank the people of NSW for supporting nurses
during their campaign for a fair pay rise.
THE LAMP JUNE 2005 15
s W O R K L O A D S
Appalling pay offer
last straw for
mental health nurses
patients early to make way for other
RICHMOND CLINIC patients coming in. MACQUARIE HOSPITAL
‘Because we did not have enough
nurses to keep up with the patient load,
Workloads we had security guards covering critically ‘We need
crisis sparks ill patients. It was totally inappropriate. It
was just too much!’ said Bunty.
more mental
emergency This sparked an emergency meeting health beds’
of the NSWNA Richmond Clinic Branch,
action where members decided to implement
g Members at Macquarie
work bans including refusal to accept
g A crisis situation at Hospital are set to impose
admissions after hours.
Richmond Clinic in bans to address a shortage of
‘We refused to accept patients
Lismore sparked emergency mental health beds
between 4.30 pm and 8.30 am because
industrial action
M
we did not have the staffing to ensure embers
nurse and patient safety,’ said Bunty. at Mac-
M
embers This resulted in management quarie
at Rich- agreeing to cap the number of patients Hospital
mond admitted to the clinic to 25. Excess in North Ryde have
Clinic patients will now be directed to the ED given management
imposed work bans of Lismore Base Hospital, and out-of-area until early June to
Eon Robinson, RN
to end gruelling patients back to their local AHS. Nurses and secretary of the
address a shortage of
workloads for mental will now be offered overtime to address Macquarie Hospital mental health beds
Maureen Bunt,
health nurses. staffing shortfalls. branch resulting in excessive
secretary of NSWNA Nurses at the 25- nurse workloads and an unsafe environment
Richmond Clinic
Branch
bed mental health unit
say the government
‘Because we did not for staff and patients.
According to Eon Robinson, RN and
has relied on the good-will of nurses to have enough nurses secretary of the Macquarie Hospital branch,
cover up a staffing shortfall and a shortage of nurses are fed up with the habitual over-
mental health beds. to keep up with the admission of patients by management.
According to secretary of the
NSWNA Richmond Clinic Branch,
patient load, we ‘We have 14 acute care beds.
Once full, acute patients are being
Maureen Bunt (Bunty), mental health had security guards diverted to the rehabilitation and respite
nurses at the Clinic have been forced to wards. We’ve even been forced to put
work for years in an unsafe environment covering critically patients in the observation room. It’s an
because of excessive workload pressure.
‘I’ve been here 10 years and in that
ill patients.’ inappropriate and unsafe situation for
staff and patients,’ he said.
time we have always accepted more patients The Branch also demanded an The NSWNA Macquarie Hospital
than the designated 25 beds of the Clinic. immediate review of the Mental branch agreed to give management one
It’s common to have 30 patients on the Health Hotline, which has resulted in month to propose measures to cease the
ward. We have them on mattresses on the inappropriate referrals to Richmond Clinic. over-admission of patients to the 195-bed
floor. It’s totally inappropriate and unsafe ‘When we heard about the hospital, otherwise they will impose bans on
for the nurses and the patients,’ she said. government’s appalling pay offer, it was the admission of patients over bed numbers.
Nurses reached a crisis situation in a real slap in the face. The government ‘So far, management has put on the
April during a particularly busy weekend refused to pay us a 4% pay rise, as received table various contingency plans that are
when they were forced to discharge by similar health professionals,’ said Bunty. not acceptable to members,’ said Eon.
16 THE LAMP JUNE 2005
g Overworked mental health nurses have battled
for years to hold together a system in crisis – then
the government has told them they were not worth
a 4% pay rise. So the cover up on chronic nurse
workloads must end …
M
‘These include the provision of extra ental unit. We had to call the police to resolve
staff when there are more patients than health the situation.’
we are staffed for, the creation of a special nurses at This was resolved to the satisfaction of
discharge clinic that will enable patients Maitland all, but by this time nurses had had enough.
to be moved from the acute care ward Hospital have also Members say the issue came to a
and regular status meetings with nursing battled to care for head because of the government’s refusal
staff. An area bed manager position has more patients than to give nurses the same pay rise as other
also been introduced, whose role is to beds in the mental health professionals.
juggle acute care mental health beds in Lindsay Patterson,
health unit. Worn out members called a branch
the AHS. NSWNA Maitland meeting where they decided on work bans
Hospital's Secretary
According to
‘But juggling mental health beds including a refusal to accept more acutely ill
RN and secretary of
will not solve the problem – it’s a bit patients once the 24 beds in the unit are full.
the NSWNA Maitland Hospital branch,
like juggling deckchairs on the Titanic. Management has committed to provide
Lindsay Paterson, there was inadequate
What we desperately need is more mental additional staffing if more than 24 patients
health beds,’ said Eon. staffing and the skill mix was insufficient
are admitted to the ward after consultation.
‘Nurses are willing to put up with a lot to cope with the patient load.
‘The problem was that management
but the government’s reluctance to pay us
fairly has just fuelled our anger.’ did a count of patients at midnight. This ‘Sometimes we have
did not include patients who were on
leave for the night or weekend, so beds
had up to 30 patients
MAITLAND HOSPITAL appeared vacant. The patients would in the ward. We nearly
return from leave the next moarning or
on the Monday following weekend leave always had more than
Maitland to find their bed had been filled. On the
the 24 beds we were
morning shift extra patients were, often
Nurses refuse in the ward waiting for assessment,’ staffed for.’
more patients he said.
‘Sometimes we have had up to 30 Through their Reasonable Workloads
patients in the ward. We frequently have Committee, members are also pushing
g Worn out mental health more than the 24 beds we are staffed for. to have a NUM role on the afternoon
nurses at Maitland Hospital ‘It was an unsafe situation and this shift freed from a patient case load and
fight for adequate staffing and was highlighted in April when a patient directed to nurse management as well as a
skill mix barricaded himself in the observation discharge planner. n
THE LAMP JUNE 2005 17
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s W O R K L O A D S
Picture ctaken by Daily Liberal and Macquarie Advocate
NSWNA Dubbo branch members with delegate Rosemary Schwarz (far right)
Pay rebuff final insult for
overworked Dubbo nurses
g Work bans at Dubbo Base Hospital have achieved terms of reference for the review and
selection of the reviewer. The NUM and
a commitment from management to address evening Nurse Manager will also have the
gruelling nurse workloads. power to cancel any non-urgent cases and
routine cases that will attract overtime, and
G
oodwill drove theatre A massive 516 hours overtime worked will oversee self rostering to ensure a safe
nurses at Dubbo Hospital by nurses in March drove members to skill mix for each shift. It was also agreed
to take on gruelling hold a crisis meeting where they agreed that additional nursing staff will be recruited
overtime to cover chronic to implement work bans including refusal before extra theatre lists commence.
understaffing in the to work additional lists in theatres without The branch agreed to lift the bans on
surgery wards; but it was adequate staffing and refusal to take on the condition that nurse workloads are
the NSW Government’s mean-spirited non-life-threatening cases after 9 pm on monitored on a weekly basis.
refusal of a decent pay rise that pushed weekdays and 8 pm on weekends. Rosemary said: ‘Out of a sense of
them too far. goodwill, we took on overtime and missed
Members at Dubbo Base Hospital ‘When the government out on meal breaks to take up the slack.
imposed works bans that achieved a ‘When the government refused to
commitment from management to
refused to pay us a 4% pay us a 4% pay rise, it was just the last
address ongoing workload pressure on pay rise, it was just the straw. It showed us they have no respect
theatre nurses. for nurses. We felt we were just covering
According to NSWNA delegate last straw. It showed up the problems for them and we were
Rosemary Schwarz, members were being taken for granted.
forced to take action because patient and
us they have no respect ‘What worries me is that we get new
nurse safety was at risk due to chronic for nurses.’ graduates who take one look and see how
understaffing in the theatres. frantic and stressed we are and they say,
‘For a number of years, nurses have Following this action by the NSWNA “forget it, we don’t want to work here”.
had heavy workloads but the problem just Dubbo branch, management agreed to an ‘The nursing workforce at the
exploded over the past few months. We were extra two RNs each shift and an external hospital is nearing 50 years of age. Who
frantic every shift. Nurses were very stressed review of theatre lists over the next four is going to replace us when the profession
and morale was really low,’ she said. weeks. Nurses will be consulted over the is so undervalued and overworked?’ n
THE LAMP JUNE 2005 19
s A G E N D A
ENDANGERED
g Nurses will have to defend their right to a A struggle for the future of
reasonable workload and other hard-fought rights and unionism
conditions under the nurses’ award when the Howard ACTU Secretary Greg Combet agrees the
government grabs control of the Senate on 1 July. government’s agenda is serious and there
will be a struggle for the future of unionism
W
hen the federal NSWNA General Secretary Brett and the right to collectively bargain.
government takes Holmes says the changes are loaded ‘It is a substantial challenge. What the
control of the to benefit business at the expense of government is trying to do is individualise
Senate from 1 July, Australian working families. working relationships.
John Howard – ‘The government’s plans would make ‘In most advanced economies like the
for the first time it harder for working Australians to get UK and the United States, there is a provision
since he became Prime Minister – will ahead and take them backwards at a time in the laws for collective agreements. Under
be able to pass whatever laws he likes when many are just keeping their heads the Howard government’s changes we will
without them being blocked or changed above water,’ he says. end up with the worst of all worlds.
by the Senate. Brett says many of the government’s ‘The government wants every worker to
The government says it wants to use plans will have important consequences be employed on an individual contract or as
these new powers to rewrite Australia’s for NSW nurses. an independent contractor. If they had their
workplace laws and take away many ‘The creation of a national system way, every employee would have to have an
Australian workers’ basic rights. using corporate law will mean there ABN (Australian Business Number).
will be no safe haven in state Labor ‘What their intentions boil down to is
jurisdictions. If you work for or are a direct employment arrangement between
employed by an incorporated board, such employers and employees with no unions,
as a health board, you will be drawn into no tribunals and no arbitration. It will
the federal system. lead to increased inequality, declining
‘The government intends reducing the standards of living, less healthy and safe
number of matters in awards. For example, workplaces and a reduced role for unions
they will be able to take the workloads clause and collective bargaining.
‘What their intentions out of our public hospital award.’ ‘The attacks have already started with
There are currently more than 50 over 90,000 employees in the tertiary
boil down to is a direct Clauses in the Public Hospitals Nurses' (State) education system being offered individual
employment arrangement Award. The federal government wants to contracts in return for funding.
between employers and reduce the number of Clauses to 16, and ‘They intend to abolish the way
businesses are pushing for only six. minimum wages are set, take out the
employees with no unions, ‘Other important gains like super will union role so wages will be frozen or
no tribunals and no also be removed from awards,’ said Greg. decline in value.’
arbitration. It will lead ‘Our ability to take industrial action Although the government’s agenda
will be constrained. For example, the is draconian, unions throughout Australia
to increased inequality, families of patients will be able to take are prepared to defend the interests of their
declining standards of action under the Act and demand the members, says Greg Combet,
living, less healthy and safe termination of industrial action. ‘When I talk to unions around the
‘In a broader sense, by bringing country, there is no fear or panic. We’re
workplaces and a reduced state workers into the federal arena they going to fight. We’re going to protect as
role for unions and collective are reducing the influence of state Labor many people as we can within the state IR
bargaining.’ governments on the economy and their systems. And for those workers pushed into
ability to deliver fairness. It is all about the federal IR system, we are going to push
– Greg Combet, ACTU Secretary -
centralising power in Canberra.’ Howard back as far as possible.’ n
20 THE LAMP JUNE 2005
