ANF

ANF imposes real wage cut in Victoria

Reprinted from the WSWS
By Patrick O’Connor 17 March 2012 The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) in Victoria has announced a sell-out deal with the state Liberal government for a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) covering public hospital nurses and midwives. The agreement, quickly rammed through a mass meeting of nurses yesterday, involves a substantial real wage cut and a significant “flexibility” concession that erodes existing mandatory nurse-to-patient staffing ratios.

Geography: 

A glass of wine or quality of care

On the 21st January, the Productivity Commission’s Caring for Older Australians draft report was released recommending an extensive overhaul of the aged care sector. In just under 40 years, there will be almost four times as many Australians, or 3.6 million people, in need of aged care. The Productivity Commission has the job of finding ways to fund such a large increase in older people who will need aged care. The Productivity Commission’s deputy chairman Mike Woods is in favor of shifting the cost burden to wealthy older Australians through a new co-contribution scheme.