Some categories of elective surgeries will be postponed as early as tomorrow ahead of state-wide industrial action by the nurses' union on Friday.
Some categories of elective surgeries will be postponed as early as tomorrow ahead of state-wide industrial action by the nurses' union on Friday.
Negotiations between the Australian Nursing Federation and the state government over a new pay deal have hit fever pitch in recent weeks, as the ANF appeared to accept, then later reject, a wage increase of 6 per cent per annum over two years.
Central to that offer was the introduction of nurse-to-patient ratios in public hospitals.
Members proved unhappy with the deal, as evidenced by an internal poll purportedly showing overwhelming opposition to the agreement, with ANF president Janet Reah having since sidelined chief executive Mark Olson as the union’s chief negotiator.
She's remained firm in her demands for a 10 per cent pay bump over two years, with members to go on strike this Friday in pursuit of that claim.
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson today announced category 2 and 3 elective surgeries scheduled for tomorrow and Friday will be postponed to cope with absences likely to arise from the strike.
While the same will not apply to category 1 elective surgeries, Ms Sanderson did caution these would likely be affected by the strike without specifying to what extent.
She claimed details were murky on what parts of the health system will be affected by the action.
“We are doing everything we can to ameliorate the impact, but it will have an impact on patients,” she said.
“This is uncontrolled industrial action in areas where we don’t know where it’s going to occur."
Ms Reah earlier this week said nurses will march to Ms Sanderson’s office on Friday to confront her amid stalled talks.
Speaking outside parliament today, though, Ms Sanderson dismissed the move as a “stunt” by Ms Reah, adding that the ANF president had her phone number and was free to call at any time.
Despite the premier repeatedly claiming in recent weeks that the ANF had no reason to strike, Ms Reah was this afternoon defiant, telling media outside the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission the union would rally on Friday as planned.
She took just one question in a brief appearance that lasted fewer than two minutes, telling reporters she was seeking legal advice following today's discussions.
"I'm so disgusted with the commission and the government today I just can't even speak about it," she said.
