Toowoomba nurses to hold rally outside St Vincent’s Private Hospital to demand better wages, nurse-to-patient ratio

Nurses at one of Toowoomba’s private hospitals have demanded better wages and a new nurse-to-patient ratios at a rally, and have not ruled strike action if negotiations didn’t progress.

NOT HAPPY: St Vincent's Private Hospital nurse Rebecca Greenway (left) and Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union organiser Kerrie Green take part in a rally as nurses push for a better pay rise and conditions at the Toowoomba facility.

Nurses at one of Toowoomba’s private hospitals have not ruled out major strike action if a better wage offer is not made as part of ongoing enterprise bargaining negotiations.

Several St Vincent’s Private Hospital staff and officials from the Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union held a rally outside the East Toowoomba site on Wednesday to ramp up pressure on the board, following 18 months of discussions.

Along with an improvement to the current wage increase offer of between 2.25 and 3 per cent for the 333 affected staff, the union wants the hospital to establish nurse-to-patient ratios in line with public hospitals.

The hospital sent a letter to staff, which was obtained by The Chronicle, which warned workers of repercussions if they attended the rally during rostered hours.

QNMU organiser Kerrie Green said union members wanted a 5.1 per cent jump in line with the current consumer price index, calling the current offer “an insult”.

“I’ve been at bargaining tables with them, and they’ll try and short-change nurses where they can,” she said.

“The big thing has always been wages, and the offer doesn’t reflect the work that they do. Staff feel undervalued, it’s an insult.

“They’re fatigued and tired, doing double shifts and excessive overtime is just madness.”

Ms Green said nurses wanted St Vincent’s to establish formal nursing ratios, claiming at certain points there were as many as 13 patients to one nurse.

“They’re on notional ratios, but we want the same as Queensland Health (which) has one-to-four on day and afternoon shifts, and one-to-seven on nights,” she said.

“Here they have one-to-six or seven during the day, or one-to-10 or 13 at night.”

Ms Green said the QNMU was heading back for another round of negotiations this month, but said industrial action could begin if the offer didn’t improve.

“I can’t rule it out,” she said.

A spokeswoman for St Vincent’s said the hospital was hoping to reach a resolution in the coming weeks.

“St Vincent’s is in discussions around a new three-year Enterprise Agreement with its nursing and midwifery staff. Those negotiations are ongoing,” the statement said.

“We look forward to our discussions with staff and their representatives reaching a satisfactory resolution in the coming weeks.”