Health Forum - 17/10/2011
HEALTH FORUM - 17/10/2011
HEALTH FORUM FOR NURSING STUDENTS: Defend and know your rights for the future
HEALTH FORUM QUESTIONNAIRE
UPDATE 21/09/2011 - Booklet Prepared
UPDATE 11/10/2011 - SOME RESULTS AND GRAPHS FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE
HEALTH FORUM FOR NURSING STUDENTS: Defend and know your rights for the future
Nursing and midwifery students, with support from the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Newcastle University Students Association (NUSA) are conducting a forum in October to take action against the New South Wales Governments’ plan to reduce the rights and wages of public sector workers.
What exactly is happening?
Currently, the public sector in NSW employs 400 thousand people and is the biggest employer in Australia. These occupations include police officers, bus drivers, teachers and nurses.
The O’Farrell government has recently passed a law that could limit wage increases at 2.5%, when inflation is just over 3%. It goes further in the way that arbitration rights are eliminated, and rights such as annual leave loading, flex leave, lunch breaks and training and study leave are at risk (according to Unions NSW). The only way that a wage increase can come about, is to make ‘trade-offs’ on the aforementioned examples to ensure cost savings, which also has to be proved.
Furthermore, these laws remove the Industrial Relations Commission of their authority, obliging it to accept the pending conditions of public sector workers. Many people have dubbed this as “worse than the WorkChoice” policies.
All Liberal MPs have voted for this motion, and they also have the support of the Christian Democrats and the Shooters and Fishers Party, meaning that the proposed laws have a high chance of getting through.
What are the implications for future Nurses?
If these laws are implemented, future nurses can expect little chance of a wage increase, unless they decide to forfeit other rights such as lunch breaks, over-time pay and holiday loading, and job-cuts are not considered savings.
Leader of the Opposition, John Robertson, recently told The Australian that if these laws have been introduced a decade ago, nurses today would be $12 000 worse off annually.
Given that nursing students are set to graduate within the next one to six years, the changes will affect them immediately and more so over time.
It is known that many nurses are considering going to other states to work, and some already have, so they can ensure the working rights they deserve. This is very disappointing considering it is an occupation that is highly sought after and needed currently, and that nurses feel forced to do as such.
Take Action!
A health forum has been organised at the University of Newcastle on the 17th of October, 5pm at the Nursing theatre, RW 1.49. There will be students, academics from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, representatives from outside the university including politicians and NUSA speaking on the issue.
The aim of the forum is to inform these students on these changes and take action accordingly. This may be done with a petition and letter writing and we will decide on the evening what other steps we can take to secure the future of nursing.
With rallies taking place all over the state, this is our chance to show that future nurses and midwives will not stand for these changes either.
An email address has been created for anyone interested in the forum, if you would like some more information, or if you would like to get involved. Emails can be sent to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
The NUSA website will be updated regularly, and a small questionnaire is available to gauge interest on the issue.
Interesting links:
For more information from what has already happened, check out the following links:
http://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ofarrell-puts-nurses-conditions-at-risk/
http://www.psa.labor.net.au/news/1314165497_9686.html
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/publicsector-wage-fight-brews-as-union-gears-up-20110525-1f4ik.html
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2011/s3233079.htm
Charlotte Ismay- First Year Bachelor of Nursing Student.
QUESTIONNAIRE: CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE
UPDATE 21/09/2011 - Booklet Prepared
You can now download a simple information booklet prepared for the forum.
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Click here. We've also sent letters inviting MP Sonia Hornery, MP Tim Owen and MP Clayton Barr.
UPDATE 11/10/2011 - SOME RESULTS AND GRAPHS FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE
The health forum is just six days away! Here are some preliminary results from the questionnaire. As you can see, students who are studying subjects which will likely lead into a career in the public sector, are opposed to the implementation of these laws (100%).
Most nursing students (83%) who completed the survey, indicated that they would consider seeking employment in other states or countries.
Figure 1: Are you studying a subject which leads into an employment in one of the careers in the Public Sector which will be affected by these changes?
Figure 2: As a future worker in the Public Sector, do you want these laws implemented?
Figure 3: As a future nurse or midwife, would you consider crossing the border to other states or countries for better employment rights and a more secure future in the public sector?
If you haven't filled in the survey, click on the image below.
Don't forget, the forum is on Monday, 5pm, NURSTH.
The health forum is being organised by these people:
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| Charlotte Ismay | Heather Richards | |
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