Bankstown Nurses Call Off Strike

Date: 16 May 2002

New South Wales Nurses Association (NSWNA) members at Bankstown Hospital has voted to call off strike action, after hospital management agreed not to open extra beds that were not properly staffed.

Last Monday Bankstown Hospital management agreed to maintain bed numbers at summer levels pending an analysis of current nurse staffing and vacancy levels at the hospital. The outcome of that analysis and the hospital's plans for dealing with any problems will be provided to the NSWNA on Wednesday May 22.

The agreement was reached at a special meeting of NSWNA, Bankstown Hospital and South Western Sydney Area Health Service officials on Monday morning, called to discuss the nurse shortage at the hospital and what it means for the expected winter increase in patient activity.

Bankstown Hospital has 365 summer beds and currently has around 50 nurse positions vacant out of around 500 full-time-equivalent budgeted positions. On any given day this does not include people on unplanned leave such as sick leave.

NSWNA members at Bankstown Hospital had voted to start rolling stoppages tomorrow (Thursday 16 May) if hospital management went ahead with a plan to open extra beds during winter without employing enough nurses to staff them. As a result of Monday's agreement Bankstown nurses have voted not to go ahead with that action at this stage.

NSWNA members at Bankstown Hospital will meet again towards the end of next week to consider the progress of the staffing analysis.

For further information

Contact:	Brett Holmes
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Contact Mobile:	0414-550 324
WWW:	http://www.nswnurses.asn.au

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]