Anthony Deceglie, Sunday Times, October 17, 2010 More than 2700 nurses have left the WA health system - with half of them preferring to work in another industry, according to a new Federal Government report. Nurses say long hours for relatively low pay has made many dump their jobs and look at other careers. The report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, released this week, also found WA had the second worst nursing shortage of every state in the country. It reveals there are now 2738 former nurses in WA no longer looking for nursing work. The report says that half of them would be employed in another industry. ... Care

ABC News, October 15, 2010 There has been a breakthrough in negotiations for West Australian nurses who have been campaigning for a pay rise. The Department of Health says it has reached an in-principle agreement with the Australian Nursing Federation for a 12.25 per cent pay rise over three years. Nurses had threatened to take industrial action in their fight for better pay and working conditions. The Director General of Health Kim Snowball praised the nurses union for its approach to the negotiations. Mr Snowball says that paves the way for the agreement to be ratified by the Industrial Relations Commission. ... Nurses

PerthNow, October 15, 2010 Industrial action by nurses has been averted after a new pay deal was reached with the Health Department last night. The in-principle agreement will see nurses receive a 12.25 per cent wage increase over the next three years. The salary increase is the maximum available under the Government Wages Policy. Health Department boss Kim Snowball said he was pleased with the outcome. "The Australian Nursing Federation was responsible and modern in its approach, which achieved a good result for our nurses without resorting to unnecessary industrial action," Mr Snowball said. ANF state secretary Mark Olson had threatened last week to start industrial action which would have lead to one in five hospital beds being closed.

ABC News, October 11, 2010 The Australian Nursing Federation says it will hold stop work meetings tomorrow to decide the next step in their fight for better work conditions. The Federation held last minute talks with the Health Department yesterday to try to resolve a dispute over better working conditions. It says its members are concerned the department will try to control the nurse to patient ratio under a new enterprise agreement. The ANF's Mark Olsen expects nurses to start closing beds at public hospitals towards the end of the week. ... Nurses

Katherine Fenech, Perth Ten, September 30, 2010 Workplace hostility in WA's hospitals has stepped up overnight, with nurses threatening to strike at the same time as 8000 support staff continue work bans that are compromising hygiene and sterilisation services. The state government will this morning resume its bid to have the Industrial Relations Commission put an end to the work bans. Talks between the government, Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union and the Health Department stretched into the night after the union instituted the bans over stalled pay negotiations. The hearing was adjourned after five hours ... Nurses

ABC, September 29, 2010 WA nurses are considering whether to strike after negotiations over working conditions were delayed for a second time. The Australian Nursing Federation and the State Government have agreed in principle to a 12.25 per cent pay rise over three years. But, the parties have not reached an agreement over working conditions or back pay. The ANF's Mark Olson says today's work ban by hospital support staff shows the only way nurses will be heard by the government is if they strike. ... Nurses

PerthNow, September 29, 2010 WA hospitals could be further thrown into disarray with a threat by the Nurses Union that they may also start strike action. Hospital support staff have already implemented strike action over stalled pay negotiations, including a work ban on core cleaning services. The 8000 cleaners, orderlies, catering staff want a pay rise of about $50 a week. Today, Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Mark Olson said they were also considering strike action after negotiations over working conditions were delayed for a second time. ... Nurses

Debbie Guest, West Australian, October 30, 2007 Nurses are likely to
reject a new enterprise deal from the State Government because it needs
to offer better pay and conditions, including a retention bonus,
according to the nurses’ union. Australian Nursing Federation State
secretary Mark Olson said the new enterprise agreement presented to the
union for the first time yesterday would struggle to be accepted by
members. The Government should be offering a 16 per cent pay rise over
three years, instead of a 10 per cent pay rise over two years. The
union also wants a $2000 retention bonus for all nurses after two years
of work in the public sector ... Pay