RPA & Concord Nurses Stop Work

Date: 21 August 2001

Date: Wednesday, 22 August 2001
Royal Prince Alfred Time: 12.00noon - 2.00pm
Concord Time: 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Rally Venues
Royal Prince Alfred - front of hospital, Missenden Rd
Concord - front of hospital

New South Wales Nurses Association (NSWNA) members working at two of Sydney's biggest hospitals - Royal Prince Alfred and Concord - will stop work for two hours this Wednesday afternoon (20 August) as part of the NSWNA's What's a Nurse Worth? campaign.

During the stop work period nurses from:

· Royal Prince Alfred Hospital will hold a rally at the front of the hospital in Missenden Rd and then march to the office of local Labor MP, Sandra Nori, on Broadway; and
· Concord Hospital will hold a rally outside the hospital and then march to Concord Rd.

NSWNA General Secretary, Sandra Moait, said Wednesday's industrial action is further evidence nurses around the State are strongly committed to rebuilding the public health system.

"They will continue to implement work bans and take part in stop work meetings until the State Government commits itself to again making nursing an attractive career option through improved wages and conditions.

"Skeleton staffing will be maintained at both facilities on Wednesday to provide necessary nursing care, because we are trying to minimise any inconvenience to the public during this campaign.
"There are at least 160 nursing positions currently vacant at Royal Prince Alfred and at least 40 at Concord. The vacancies are being covered by overtime, casual staff and agency nurses and this is putting enormous pressure on the system. Our hospitals can't operate like this for ever. While services haven't been cut yet, they are certainly under stress.

"NSWNA members are perplexed about why the State Government is just sitting back and doing nothing to improve nurses pay - especially at this time of serious shortages, when we are having trouble enticing nurses to stay in or come back to the profession," Ms Moait said.

The NSWNA has around 1200 members at Royal Prince Alfred and 1000 at Concord. Wednesday's stop work meetings follow similar action recently at Royal North Shore Hospital, Manly Hospital and Western Sydney Area Health Service hospitals and community health facilities.

The What's a Nurse Worth? campaign was launched in July at the NSWNA's annual conference, with the objective of solving the NSW nurse shortage through improved wages and conditions for nurses. Despite acknowledging there is a nurse shortage in NSW, the State Government has rejected a NSWNA request for the Industrial Relations Minister, John Della Bosca, to initiate an urgent case before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission aimed at improving nurse wages and conditions.

For further information

Contact:	Sandra Moait
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Phone:	02-9550 3244
Contact Mobile:	0414-810 177
WWW:	http://www.nswnurses.asn.au

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