Nurses threat to elective surgery

NURSES locked in a pay dispute are threatening elective surgery cancellations within two weeks if the State Government does not respond to lower-level industrial action from today.

Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Lee Thomas yesterday warned the campaign would get "very serious" if the Government refused to improve its wages and conditions offer. Nurses have asked for a 14 per cent rise over two years but the Government's offer has stalled at 10.5 per cent over three years.

"When we're forced to take this sort of action, it really galvanises our members," Ms Thomas said. "They're very angry."

The timetable for industrial action begins today, with nurses wearing campaign T-shirts and badges to work and banning non-essential paperwork. If there has been no resolution by June 18, nurses will stage protests, pickets and rallies, refuse overtime and force the cancellation of non-urgent elective surgery.

The final stage, scheduled for June 28, will see rolling stoppages and an elective surgery ban.

Ms Thomas said the effects of work bans might not be felt by the public until the end of the month because winter demand on hospitals was likely to see non-urgent elective surgery postponed without nurses playing a part. She said the Government was aware of the campaign timetable.

The enterprise bargaining agreement ends on June 30.

Opposition health spokeswoman Vickie Chapman said the Government had "more than enough money" to end the pay dispute and employ more nurses.

"Minister (John) Hill brags about how he is working with nurses and midwives to develop a strategic plan to attract and retain nurses . . . but he has risked losing this state's nursing workforce by letting this pay dispute drag on for three months," she said. "In the interest of all South Australians, the Rann Government must end this pay dispute with the state's nurses so that they can get on with their jobs."

Industrial Relations Minister Michael Wright said: "We are yet to hear back from the ANF to arrange further discussions."

By Jill Pengelley

Article from www.news.com.au/adelaidenow