
Issue No 107		17 August 2001

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News

Nurses Pay Action Hots Up

NSW nurses have commenced the industrial phase of their campaign to have their value recognized, with two-hour stoppages across Western Sydney the taste of things to come.

Nurses from Westmead Hospital, Westmead Community Health, Auburn District Hospital and Auburn Community Health, Westmead Children's Hospital, Cumberland Hospital, Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown Community Health and Mount Druitt Hospital all stopped worked for two hours on Friday.

NSWNA General Secretary, Sandra Moait, says the industrial action in Western Sydney will be followed by similar action around the State, unless the State Government commits itself to again making nursing an attractive career option through improved wages and conditions.

"Skeleton staffing will be maintained in all facilities to provide necessary nursing care, because we are trying to minimise any inconvenience to the public during this campaign. However, tomorrow's action is a significant escalation of the dispute as, up until now, nurses have mostly been implementing work bans at hospitals around the State. The action indicates the strong commitment Western Sydney nurses have to rebuilding the local public health system.

"NSWNA branches in Western Sydney advise there are at least 242 nursing positions vacant at Westmead, Westmead Children's, Blacktown, Auburn and Mount Druitt hospitals. This is putting enormous pressure on the remaining nurses and the region is on the verge of bed closures and service restrictions to relieve the pressure.

"NSWNA members are perplexed about why the State Government is just sitting back and doing nothing to improve nurses pay - especially at this time of serious shortages, when we are having trouble enticing nurses to stay in or come back to the profession," Ms Moait said.

Western Sydney Area Health Service nurse vacancies: Westmead Hospital 120, Children's Hospital at Westmead 50, Mount Druitt Hospital 20, Blacktown Hospital 27, Auburn District Hospital 25.

The NSWNA has more than 3000 members working for the Western Sydney Area Health Service.

The What's a Nurse Worth? campaign was launched in July at the NSWNA's annual conference, with the objective of solving the NSW nurse shortage through improved wages and conditions for nurses. Despite acknowledging there is a nurse shortage in NSW, the State Government has rejected a NSWNA request for the Industrial Relations Minister, John Della Bosca, to initiate an urgent case before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission aimed at improving nurse wages and conditions.

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  Issue 107 contents

Interview: What's The Deal?
Labor's IR spokesman Arch Bevis explains how a Beazley Government will rebuild our broken system.

E-Change: 2.3 The State of the Union
White hope or white elephant? The future of trade unions is by no means guaranteed in the networked society.

Industrial: Into the 21st Century
ACTU President Sharan Burrow looks at the landmark deal delivering workers 12 months paid maternity leave.

Unions: The Black Hole
Jim Marr goes inside Stellar to discover the human cost of a management philosophy that says: you are on your own.

History: The Age of Dissent
The Sydney Branch of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History has organised a Conference on Social Protest Movements and the Labour Movement, 1965-1975.

Media: ABC and the Knowledge Nation
Tony Moore looks at how the national broadcaster's fortunes are closely linked to the Knowledge Nation Agenda

International: Brazil�s C.U.T. - When Big Is Beautiful
The CFMEU�s Phil Davey drops in on Brazil�s equivalent to the ACTU, the Central Unica Dos Trabalhadores (CUT).

Satire: Bracks Disputes Cabramatta tag
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has called for a national council to decide on a location for Australia's drug capital.

Review: Globalisation Is Globalisation
In an extract from his book, Christopher Shiel argues that the official Australian perspective on globalisation is strikingly narrow.

» Labor's Entitlements Pledge: Trust Will Remain

» Ripped Off Workers Start Election Push

» Stellar Out of Line: Hamberger

» It�s a Record! Longest Ever Bank Queue

» Still No IR at ABC Radio

» Qantas Threatens Bangkok Workers

» WorkCover Report Delayed Two More Weeks

» Unrest in Hospitals Over Contracting Out

» Paid Baby Leave Sparks New Family Push

» Nurses Pay Action Hots Up

» Costello's Couriers March to Canberra

» 'Man Who Worked Too Hard' Wins Back Job

» Soldiers Suffer Dodgy Bog

» Union Backs Call For Safety Review

» Cleaner Wins Annual Leave Rights Dispute

» Tip Top's Not the One

» Flying High: Airport Guards Scoop Cash

» Union Presence At Big Indian Community Fair

» Activists Notenbook