Red News Readers,
NSW Nurses, including myself, have been calling for this since the 1980s. Better late than never!!
Jenny Haines
NSW Nurses fight for night shift pay
Article from: AAP
May 03, 2009 04:38pm, Sunday Telegraph
PUBLIC hospital nurses will seek their first night shift allowance increase in more than 30 years at a NSW Industrial Relations Commission hearing this week.
The NSW Nurses Association (NSWNA) wants night shift penalty rates increased from 15 per cent to 25 per cent and for the penalties to apply on weekends.
This would mean an extra $130 a week for nurses or midwives who do an entire week of night shifts.
Witnesses from the union, NSW Health and nurses from hospitals around the state will give evidence in Sydney from Monday.
Nurses are expected to tell the commission about the difficulties of working night shifts including poor sleep, health problems and disruption of family and social life.
Union president Brett Holmes said night duty penalty rates hadn't increased for public hospital nurses since 1975.
"The NSWNA does not believe the current rate of 15 per cent fairly and adequately compensates nurses for the social, domestic and health disadvantages experienced when they work night shift,'' he said in a statement on Sunday.
About Me
- JENNY'S RED NEWS
- Dear Fellow Bloggers, For some time I have thought about starting a left of centre news and commentary service and I have tried to do this by using email. But as some good, but email overloaded friends have suggested, a better way to go may be by blogging. So here it is! Jenny's Red News. My primary interests are left of centre politics and the very important question of how can we get left of centre parties, groups and grouplets in Australia working together more co-operatively. The right of centre predominates politics in this country at the present time, and they are on the march. We on the left of centre need to work together more co-operatively and constructively to put the left of centre agenda out there, for the perusal and consumption of the Australian people. Particular topics that will be reported on and on which comments are welcome are: Industrial relations - Opposition to Workchoices Refugee and Asylum Seekers Human Rights Civil Liberties Opposition to the Welfare to Work Changes Health System Reform Aboriginal Health and Reconciliation Jenny Haines posted by JENNY'S RED NEWS at 12:50 AM 0 comments