- Public sector nurses and midwives pay increase fast-tracked
- In line with the Government offer, pay will be backdated to 12 October 2022
- Wage increases ranging from 3 per cent to 4.5 per cent
- Additional $3,000 one-off cost of living payment will be paid in coming weeks
- Work underway on historic nurse and midwife to patient ratio reform
- State Government continues to work with nurses union to conclude an agreement
The State Government will pay more than 18,500 nurses and midwives in the public health system their pay increase, while negotiations to conclude their industrial agreement continue.
In recognition of the valuable work they do, and to prevent nurses and midwives having to wait longer for a pay increase, the State Government has moved to grant workers the increase in pay – in accordance with the State Wages Policy.
Eligible nurses and midwives will receive a wage increase ranging from 3 per cent to 4.5 per cent, with backpay from 12 October 2022, and a one-off $3,000 cost of living payment (on a pro-rata basis for casual and part-time employees). Employees will also receive a 0.5 per cent per annum increase in superannuation for two years.
Under the State Wages Policy, for a level 1 nurse this represents a base salary increase of between 3.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent, with the $3,000 cost of living payment and 0.5 per cent per annum superannuation increase on top of this.
This is in line with the State Wages Policy, a minimum $3,130 increase or 3 per cent, which has already been accepted by 112,000 other public sector employees, which equates to three quarters of the sector.
The State Government is currently seeking to resolve industrial agreement negotiations with the assistance of the WA Industrial Relations Commission. The administrative pay rise will form part of the final agreement to the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF).
The McGowan Government, through WA Health, has also started work on the delivery of historic reforms to deliver nurse and midwife to patient ratios, after extensive consultation with the ANF during the bargaining process.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“Nurses and midwives are the backbone of our public health system and we thank them for their continued efforts for the patients of Western Australia.
“Our State Wages Policy delivers real cost of living relief by boosting the pay of nurses and midwives as well as implementation of nurse and midwife to patient ratios – a historic reform.
“Already, 112,000 public sector workers have accepted the offer and now nurses and midwives will receive the pay increase administratively, in line with the State Wages Policy sooner while we resolve the industrial agreement negotiations with the nurses union.”
“The public sector wages offer is more generous than New South Wales, Victoria, the Northern Territory, and the Commonwealth, which is why three quarters of the Western Australian public sector has now voted in favour of the offer.”
As stated by Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston:
“The McGowan Government remains committed to the agreement it reached with the Australian Nurses Federation in front of the WAIRC, and looks forward to continuing discussions with the union in the new year to conclude an agreement.
“The Government has already made a generous offer, which we will fast-track to deliver earlier cost of living relief to workers while we continue to negotiate with the union.”
As stated by Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
“We recognise the valuable work the nurses and midwives in our public health system do and we are fast-tracking their cost of living payment and pay rise while their industrial agreement is finalised.
“Nurse and midwife to patient ratios are an historic reform which will deliver a lasting improvement for our healthcare workforce and that’s why we are getting started on this right away.
“Ratios have been on the Australian Nursing Federation’s log of claims for 25 years and, while we will be undertaking extensive consultation to ensure we get this significant reform right, we want to get started.”
