Shellharbour Private Hospital members are celebrating their first pay rise in three years, thanks to threatened industrial action.
Shellharbour Private Hospital Branch was forced to threaten industrial action through the NSWNA when management refused to negotiate a reasonable pay agreement, even though the previous agreement expired in 2008.
Shellharbour nurses are relieved to have an acceptable pay offer at last
After 16 months of arduous negotiations, frustrated members asked the NSWNA to lodge an application for Protected Industrial Action, which was granted by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission in early May. The NSWNA was insisting on the need to make up for lost time in the pay settlement.
By May 2011, pay rates at Shellharbour Private Hospital had fallen up to 12% behind the rates being received by other nurses in the private hospital sector. Negotiations for new Agreements currently underway between the NSWNA and major private hospital employers, including the Ramsay Group, would have widened this wage gap even further.
Branch Secretary and EN Linda Knox said with the threat of impending industrial action, a favourable Enterprise Agreement was offered by Hospital management and agreed to by Branch members unanimously.
“Shellharbour Private Hospital branch members hope this will encourage nursing staff to stay at Shellharbour Private Hospital and attract new staff in the future,” said Linda.
The nurses have been granted a 13.5% pay rise over three years. The new Agreement delivers an immediate 5% pay rise, plus 4% from May 2012 and another 4% from May 2013.
NSWNA Secretary Brett Holmes commended the members at Shellharbour Private Hospital for sticking together during such a slow and frustrating negotiation process to achieve a decent Agreement.
“Shellharbour Private Hospital employs around 45 nurses and almost all are NSWNA members. Having a strong membership with a local Branch of the Association, as well as well-organised, active delegates, helped achieved this good result,” said Brett.
Congratulations Shellharbour!
Has your union branch campaigned for changes to your work conditions? What was the result?
Image credit: NSWNA (The LAMP)
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I have become very disillusioned with all the political manipulation by the union to attain political gratification with most of the union spokespeople grooming themselves for political office, they make most of their efforts for the larger regional and big city areas and forgetting the smaller country hospitals in the mix , we support the unions voice only in the hope of seeing some possible action taking place , but NO it is the same old deal promises upon promises we in the country regions should start thinking about creating our own Country Nurses Union ?? what are your thoughts on this all you Country Nurses. I look forward to your comments (please no abuse)