Jane Emerick
Federal Government yesterday ordered Barwon Health to pay its nurses after threatening to dock their wages if they went on strike.
Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey declared nurses must be paid regardless of whether they were striking.
Australian Nurses Federation Victorian branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick welcomed the order.
“We’re asking hospital management to clarify the situation,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.
“Geelong Hospital nurses were paid yesterday and their next pay is scheduled for October 31. We’re confident that after this announcement they will be paid.”
Ms Fitzpatrick said the federation did not consider the nurses’ industrial action a strike.
“We’ve closed one in four beds and one in four theatre sessions.” “Exemptions will be made for oncology and palliative care patients, maternity patients, and paediatric wards. We’ll also be putting extra nurses in the emergency ward to help during this difficult time.”
Ms Fitzpatrick said Barwon Health should be “very, very careful before it starts docking pay”.
Barwon Health was sticking to its guns over the pay threat yesterday, with spokesperson Amanda Bavin saying nurses who took industrial action would not be paid.
“The Workplace Ombudsman expects that health services will comply with the Federal Government WorkChoices legislation and, as such, staff who engage in industrial action by not performing their full range of duties will not be paid,” Ms Bavin said.
She said Mr Hockey’s order contradicted Barwon Health’s legal advice.
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