MEDIA RELEASE FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2025 Greater City of Bendigo's maternal and child health nurses and immunisation nurses will start protected industrial action from 8am, Friday 14 February as part of their campaign for improved wages and conditions.
Enterprise bargaining negotiations between the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) and City of Greater Bendigo, which began in June 2024, have reached a stalemate.
ANMF (Vic Branch) members' stage one protected industrial action includes: wearing red campaign t-shirts, a ban on overtime, administrative tasks and booking appointments, only working rostered hours, and stopping work to explain their dispute to new parents and members of the community. (Admin staff usually book appointments and MCH nurses will continue to use their professional judgement and book urgent appointments when required.)
Greater Bendigo has some of the lowest paid maternal and child health and immunisation nurses across central Victoria's local government areas. They have not had a pay rise for 17 months.
According to the Council's 2023-24 annual report, maternal and child health nurses provided 18,563 consultations in the last financial year.
Ten maternal and child health nurses, a third of Greater Bendigo's workforce, have resigned over the past 12 months to work for higher paying local government areas and early parenting services.
Nurses are reporting to ANMF that there has been a significant increase in families with complex needs which is placing pressure on workloads and stress on the workforce.
Maternal and child health nurses, the cornerstone of Victoria's universal preventative health system, provide early assessment, identification and intervention for babies, 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.
The nurses are seeking a ten per cent pay increase over a three-year agreement, plus an additional 2.5 per cent career structure increase in 2026 for Year 3 MCH nurses to assist with retention and recruitment.
The Council is offering a ten per cent pay increase over three years, plus a $500 pro rata sign-on bonus.
It has rejected the nurses' claim for a fifth week of annual leave, which is a national nursing industry standard. This entitlement, which compensates nurses for their complex work, is offered by surrounding local government areas including Mitchell Shire Council, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Mount Alexander Shire Council, Hepburn Shire Council and Greater Shepparton City Council.
The nurses' modest claim for an extra 30 minutes to complete admin work, currently 90 minutes, has also been rejected.
ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said: 'Nurses are angry because they should not have to beg the Council to value their skills, experience and important work that keeps Bendigo's babies, children and families healthy and safe.
'Greater Bendigo families cannot afford to lose any more experienced MCH nurses and we've given the Council the initiatives to stop the high-turnover of its highly-qualified, specialist nursing workforce.
'The parties are not far apart, and the nurses' asks are modest and more than reasonable and will start to address the reasons for low morale and help retain and recruit staff,' she said.
'Nurses only take industrial action when their employer stops listening. We apologise for any inconvenience caused but we assure the community that the health, safety and welfare of families will not be at risk during this industrial action,' Ms Fitzpatrick said.
MCH and immunisation nurses rejected the Council's earlier offer in a ballot in December 2024. The Council has put its revised offer to a new vote which opened at 9am Thursday 13 February and closes 4pm Wednesday 19 February. ANMF is recommending its members vote NO.
The nurses are encouraging new parents and the community to support the campaign by emailing Greater Bendigo Chief Executive Officer Andrew Cooney.
ANMF remains available to return to the negotiations to resolve the dispute.
About us:
The ANMF (Vic Branch) has more than 108,000 members – nurses, midwives and aged care personal care workers – across the Victorian health, mental health and aged care sectors.
