Nurses reject IVF Tas offer, ramp up industrial action as pay parity dispute continues

Health workers in Tasmania have rejected a 3.3 to 3.4 per cent nominal pay increase and voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

ANMF Tasmania Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd shares why IVF Tas nurses are preparing for industrial action. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

Tasmanian fertility nurses have rejected a pay offer from IVF Tas, instead voting to step up their campaign for better pay.

A stop-work action is set to be held at the Hobart Fertility Clinic from 9am to 9.10am on Tuesday, after union members knocked back a wage offer of a yearly 3.3 to 3.4 per cent increase, depending on their classification, over the next four years for permanent staff.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmania Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said the offer was not enough in the current cost of living environment.

“We are escalating our campaign because Tas IVF’s offer is not good enough,” Ms Shepherd said.

“Our members are seeking a competitive wage increase that obviously will recognise the important role that they do play in the Tasmanian community.

“They are seeking a wage increase that is competitive with their interstate counterparts, noting that the Victorian TAS IVF agreement has recently been settled with a significant pay increase.

“With rising cost of living pressures, they want to continue to do the really important work that they do, but they also need to be valued, remunerated, and supported accordingly.”

ANMF Tasmania Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd shares why IVF Tas nurses are preparing for industrial action. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

During the stop-work action, nurses at Tas IVF will hand out information to patients about why they deserve a real wage increase.

In addition to concerns about pay parity, Ms Shepherd said other key conditions were also at stake.

“There is an important point of principle in this bargain that nurses should be paid for the time spent at work. Otherwise, that’s effectively wage theft,” she said.

“Tas IVF refuses to recognise that time spent in the workplace changing into scrubs or otherwise preparing for work is paid work time.

“Staff arrive early to prepare for their designated start and are not paid for this time.”

If there’s no ‘acceptable offer’ after two weeks, Ms Shepherd said the action will ramp up.

“Nurses have told me they are currently taking on other work to supplement their income, which pays better,” Ms Shepherd said.

“We hope that the undertaking of their industrial action will signal to the employer how deeply members feel about this matter. “Obviously, with rising cost-of-living pressures, they want to continue to do the really important work that they do, but they also need to be valued, remunerated, and supported accordingly.

“If this stop-work action doesn’t enable a better and productive discussion at the negotiating table with an acceptable offer tabled, we will consider an escalation industrial action, according to members advice.”