The Fair Work Commission has ratified the Anglicare Southern Queensland Nursing Staff Enterprise Agreement 2015-2017.
December 1, 2015
Nurses working the overnight 12-hour shift at Canberra Hospital have attacked the ACT Government for failing to fix an “oversight” which has cost them more than $1000 each a year. The nurses and their union claim the Government failed to deliver an across-the-board lift in night penalty rates accepted in negotiations for their latest industrial agreement, leaving some night shift workers being paid less than their colleagues for identical work. Health Minister Simon Corbell​ has rejected the claim, saying the issue was not raised in negotiations and the Fair Work Commission had confirmed the agreement’s terms were clear. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation ACT secretary Jenny Miragaya said the federation had made an error in leaving the four-year agreement with terms for a 22.5 per cent penalty rate payment for 12-hour night shift workers, when other night shift workers were bumped up to 25 per cent, but the Government was also implicated. “When we raised it verbally with ACT Health officials in early 2014 it was agreed it was an oversight,” she said. “It just is fundamentally unfair getting paid a lesser penalty.” Three nurses who had worked 12-hour night shifts at the hospital said the latest agreement had been “sold” to them as providing 25 per cent night rates, and claimed the failure to change was part of a Government attempt to move away from 12-hour rostering. “It galls me because they’re so pig-headed, because it’s not saving them much, and it’s their way of trying to get them off the 12-hour shifts,” one nurse said.
December 1, 2015
A woman who worked as an administrator for a medical centre stole thousands of dollars from her employers. Paula Marie McVicker, 46, admitted taking money from the Renwick Medical Centre over a period of eight months at the Blenheim District Court on Monday. McVicker was convicted and remanded until December 21 for sentencing so a reparation report and a pre-sentencing report could be submitted.
December 1, 2015
The Health and Disability Commissioner has criticised a carer for hitting an elderly dementia patient in late 2013. An 82-year-old woman with dementia was bashed by a carer at a private Auckland hospital because she refused to go to bed, an inquiry has found. The elderly patient was punched, had her arms grabbed and was slapped on the thigh by the female carer in late 2013. The staff member, a healthcare assistant, lost her job as a result and has pleaded guilty to assault over the incident. She has been referred to the Director of Proceedings and could face further penalties, a decision by Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall found. The decision, released on Monday, ruled the healthcare assistant and the hospital, CHT Healthcare Trust, were both in breach of the code of patients rights.
December 1, 2015
The Fair Work Commission has given its approval to the Masonic Care Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2015.
November 30, 2015
A nurse has admitted an elaborate scheme to falsify already generous employment references for positions overseas. But his ruse was uncovered and now he’s finding it impossible to get a job. Conrado Santos applied for two positions in Queensland and successfully asked two line managers to provide written references. Mr Santos altered their written words and set up fake email accounts purporting to belong to his two managers, from which he sent his polished-up versions. He removed references to previous misconduct over abusing sick leave entitlements and turned the straightforward musings of his line managers into purple prose. At a Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal hearing he admitted four charges of professional misconduct. He was censured by the tribunal, fined $1000 and ordered to complete a code of conduct programme before he returned to the profession.
November 30, 2015
Mangrove Housing Limited has been swamped by a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) lodged by ex-staffer Wicks.
November 30, 2015
The Australian Services Union of N.S.W. is in dispute with The Benevolent Society. A s.379 (Application to deal with a dispute) is before Fair Work Deputy President Sams for adjudication.
