State Government willing to put more money in the pockets of WA nurses

25/2/98

The State Government is willing to put more money in the pockets of Western Australian nurses and has again called the union back to the negotiating table.

"What nurses should understand is that their push for a single agreement option does not apply under the State's industrial relations law because unlike teachers and police in WA, nurses do not have a single employer," Health Minister Kevin Prince said.

"In the metropolitan area the employer is the Metropolitan Health Service Board, but in rural WA there are numerous employers.

"I am happy for all agreements to reflect core conditions but I think it is only sensible that enterprise bargaining agreements should be flexible and able to reflect the different workloads, local conditions and demands on nurses throughout the State.

"As Health Minister, I recognise the need to pay nurses more money but that cannot be done if their union does not return to the negotiating table.

"The union's allegations that I won't consider issues or talk to nurses is simply misleading. I have been willing for some time to talk to nurses if they end their industrial action and resume discussions at the negotiation table."

In responding to a media statement issued by the union today, Mr Prince said Liberal MLC Barry House had highlighted the disparity in nurses' workloads, local conditions and demands throughout the State in an interview on ABC radio.

"Mr House said it was very difficult, if not impossible to compare the services required of nurses in the South-West compared to the metropolitan area or other country regions - and he is right.

"The State Government wants the flexibility to be able to pay nurses more if their workload is greater. Doesn't this make sense?

"It is a fact that separate enterprise bargaining agreements with core conditions were acceptable to the union executive who failed to sell that message to union members at a rally two weeks ago.

"It is time the ANF stopped ignoring the interests of patients and misleading its members into believing they will be worse off under workplace agreement plans proposed by the State."

Mr Prince said he was disappointed nurses at Fremantle Hospital had today agreed to follow their colleagues' threat to close one-in-five hospital beds and an additional three beds on every ward as part of ongoing industrial action over the pay rise issue.

The Minister has asked the Health Department to explore with the union executive, the possibility of informal talks in a bid to resolve the matter.

Mr Prince said he would not agree to nurses' calls to commit to a single agreement before negotiations resumed.

Media contact: Kirsten Stoney 9221 1377