Epworth Geelong nurses stop work for fair deal

GEELONG’s Epworth Medical Imaging nurses have stopped work for four hours today (Thursday, June 5) to campaign for a lead apron allowance and decent wage increases.

A lead apron allowance is a payment made to healthcare workers in recognition of the additional physical strain and responsibility associated with wearing the apron and the potential exposure to radiation.

Nurses can be required to wear an apron that is up to 10kg for three to four hours a day.

Within the medical imaging industry, at least one other major competitor pays a lead apron allowance.

Epworth Medical Imaging nurses are asking for the same lead apron allowances entitlements as their peers already get paid.

Nurses are also campaigning for a 4.5 per cent wage increase, just 0.5 per cent higher than what is being offered.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) has been negotiating a new enterprise agreement on behalf of nurses at Epworth Medical Imaging since late last year.

The stop-work action – which began at 9am and will end at 1pm – marked an escalation of the protected industrial action which began in April.

Industrial action has included wearing campaign T-shirts at work, talking to patients about the campaign, and bans on on-call and overtime.

ANMF (Vic Branch) acting secretary Maddy Harradence said Geelong’s Epworth’s nurses deserved what other nurses are entitled to.

“Epworth Medical Imaging nurses are taking protected industrial action as a last resort because Epworth HealthCare need to progress negotiations.

“We reassure consumers and patients that there will be no risk to their health, safety and welfare.

“There may be some disruptions while nurses campaign for a fair deal and for this we apologise.”

Epworth Medical Imaging is a subsidiary of Sonic Healthcare.

Chief executive officer of Sonic Healthcare’s radiology division Dr Julian Adler said this morning’s stand was not just justified or acting in good faith.

“It’s currently the case that our nurses are already the highest paid in private radiology in the whole of Victoria.

“Our current offer, which has been voted down by our 30 odd nurses, extends their parental leave, pays extra fees of their registration, gives part time shift workers extra annual leave, adds extra provisions for maternity leave, improves the definitions of their qualifications, on top of a 4 per cent per annum increase in pay for four years.

“This puts these nurses at the absolute top of all medical imaging providers in Victoria.

“We are talking about a bunch of nurses who are already in a good position, and we have gone absolutely as far as we humanly can while still maintaining a viable business.”