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Summer 2003

Nurses may be Banned from taking Industrial Action

In a move that has sent shock waves across the Australian workforce, all Australian nurses may be banned from taking any industrial action in new laws now before Federal Parliament.

This dramatic federal court policy initiative, exposed in a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald, would come in a package of changes, including an expansion of the power of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) as part of its proposed higher education changes, precluding teachers, university academics and other emergency services workers from taking industrial action.

Health unions believe this will be the thin end of the wedge, with all health, community services and aged care workers likely to be included in later legislation.

State Secretary, Chris Brown, said he was stunned by the report, which he said would be one of the most fundamental attacks on Australian democracy for decades.

"The recent gains made by nurses in terms of pay, patient ratios, professional development only came about because nurses across Australia were able to apply industrial pressure."

"This move would render nurses powerless."

Federal Opposition Industrial Relations Spokesperson, Craig Emerson said the Federal Government wanted to strip hard-working teachers, nurses and university staff of one of their most fundamental rights.

"We desperately need more teachers and nurses.

The Government's absurdly heavy-handed tactics will only make it harder to attract and retain great teachers and nurses for our lecture theatres, classrooms and hospital wards."

"Teachers and nurses do not take industrial action lightly.

They work hard and only leave their posts as a last resort," Craig Emerson said.

"The AIRC is already able to intervene if health is at risk during industrial action."

Kerry Harvey is a Charge Nurse in ICU at the Mersey Hospital. The Mersey Hospital has undergone a changeover in ownership to Healthscope, which resulted in a review of operations. Ownership changes are a good example of where jobs and conditions can be suddenly put in jeopardy.

If the Federal Government's moves to ban nurses from taking industrial action gets support, nurses would be powerless and have to stand by and watch their jobs be abolished or radically changed during ownership changes. In the case of the Mersey Hospital, thanks to an energetic Worksite Committee, major changes have been headed off. For her part, Kerry remains optimistic.

"I'm looking forward to a positive future with Healthscope taking over," Kerry said.