ANMF Tasmania says nurse pay deal offer not adequate

The offer came on July 15, two weeks after the ANMF had been expecting a proposal, with negotiations already dragging on for months.

ANMF Tasmanian branch secretary Emily Shepherd said the offer was presented to members across the state over the last few weeks for consultation.

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"We've obviously had mixed feedback in relation to the offer, including some positive responses for some aspects of the offer, but certainly a view from some members is that the retention and relief of burnout measures for existing nurses and midwives doesn't go far enough," Ms Shepherd said.

"While the feedback from many members was positive regarding wages, we have noted that many senior nurses and midwives felt the offer was inequitable and failed to remunerate them for their experience, responsibility, and accountability.

"The ANMF has sought clarification on how the transition for the current staff from abolished pay points will occur and how experienced nurses, midwives, and assistants in nursing can be recognised."

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Ms Shepherd said the ANMF had collated feedback and points for clarification and reaffirmed areas needing additional consideration and inclusion in a final offer for members earlier in the week.

"The key areas members have requested consideration to be included in the final offer are on-call and overtime payments for nurse unit managers and directors of nursing, including those in district hospitals, increased annual leave, a persona leave 'top-up' due to members sick leave being eroded during the COVID-19 pandemic, recognition of senior nurses and the inclusion of the right to disconnect in the agreement," she said.

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Ms Shepherd said the ANMF had sent formal feedback and sought the government's re-evaluation of key priorities for members.

"The ANMF is hopeful that the government will consider these key priorities for members and return a final offer as quickly as possible to the ANMF so that a formal vote of members can be conducted," she said.

"If the government can consider these remaining key priorities for members and make provisions for these in a final offer, then I suspect that the offer would be well received by the vast majority of members."

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