South Australia’s public nurses will receive a two per cent pay increase for the next three years after negotiating new agreement

They’ve been on the frontline of the coronavirus fight, and now SA’s public sector nurses have agreed to a new pay deal after nine months of negotiations – just in time for International Nurses Day.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Elizabeth Dabars is pleased that public nurses will receive a two per cent pay rise. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

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South Australia’s public sector nurses celebrated International Nurses Day on Tuesday with an in-principle agreement on a pay rise of two per cent a year, for the next three years.

The deal, which has been backdated to January 1, follows nine months of negotiations and includes preservation of existing working conditions including retention of a 10-hour night shift, no forced redundancies and no capping of staff levels.

The settlement also includes an assurance that SA Health will commit to early implementation of violence and fatigue policies throughout the health system.

Senior triage registered nurses Nina Di Santo and Danielle Lemire at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in North Adelaide during March. Picture: AAP/ Keryn Stevens

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Elizabeth Dabars said violence and fatigue had been key issues for members.

“Our members, time and time again, have put the people in their care first,” Assoc Prof Dabars said.

“They were reluctant to take industrial action that could impact on the quality of the care people received.

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“This reluctance is heightened in the current COVID-19 environment.

“Members have clearly shown that retaining working conditions they have secured following years of campaigning remains their top priority.

“We do not take lightly that on behalf of our members, we have been able to achieve a two per cent wage increase, each January over three consecutive years, especially when some states and the Commonwealth are moving to freeze wage levels.”

The in-principle agreement is subject to the full Enterprise Bargaining Agreement being drafted and a ballot conducted of public sector nurses and midwives.