NURSES and staff at Mercy Place in Warrnambool are heading for an industrial showdown with management over a new pay claim.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
About 50 staff at the Hopetoun Road aged care site, along with others around the state, will vote next week on whether to take industrial action including strikes. Another 35 staff in Colac will also vote.
The union is seeking a 15.5 per cent pay rise over three-and-a-half years.
Mercy Health, a non-profit group, has so far offered 12 per cent.
Both sides have been locked in bargaining talks for a year since the last EBA expired in June 2013.
“It’s just been going on too long,” Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) country organiser Peter Birch said.
He said Mercy’s offer “would put nurses and other staff significantly behind other similar organisations across Victoria”.
“What we’re seeking is 15.5 per cent that would bring us to a comparable position with other organisations the size of Mercy.”
Mr Birch said he was “confident we’ll get a yes vote” for protected action, that could include work stoppages.
Mercy Health executive director of residential aged care, Voula Yankoula, said she was optimistic the organisation could strike a deal with the union before then.
“We believe our offer compares favourably to the 3 per cent annual wage review decision, handed down by the Fair Work Commission in June 2014,” Ms Yankoula said.
“We are confident an agreement can be reached with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation without impacting resident care.”
