QBC: Agreement offer to go to ballot

Published: 14 October 2011

Your QNU negotiating representatives have agreed for the enterprise agreement offer to go to ballot.

The QNU has achieved a significant victory in these negotiations by getting Queensland Baptist Care (QBC) management to rescind their demands for a number of unacceptable changes to nursing conditions.

The proposals were completely unacceptable to QNU members. The most offensive were:

  • The inclusion of cleaning duties in the nurses’ job description in the agreement.
  • The ability for QBC to require nurses to come to training for up to eight hours without pay.
  • The removal of a career paths clause from the agreement.

In response to this attack on nursing care, the QNU launched an email and letter writing campaign.

Nurses and other concerned community members emailed and sent letters to the CEO and board of QBC.

Over 500 items of correspondence were sent expressing anger and dismay over the proposals, which many felt were in direct contradiction of QBC’s values and organisational mission.

QBC has now backed away from these proposals.

As we don’t think negotiations will result in any more improvements, we have agreed for the offer to go to ballot and let all QBC nurses have their say.

Improvements in the offer

  • A two year agreement with a 3.5 per cent increase from the first full pay period after the making of the agreement (which should be 3 November) and a 4 per cent increase twelve months later.
  • Improved uniform allowance, in accordance with the modern award.
  • The ability to cash out some annual leave if employees wish to do so.
  • Access to long service leave after 7 years of employment (rather than 10).

Ballot timetable

  • 19 October – the agreement will be made available to all staff to read
  • 27 October – ballot opens
  • 2 November – ballot closes
  • 3 November – if the ballot is successful the payment of the higher rates will be made from this date.

Congratulations to the nurses at QBC who participated in the campaign and who encouraged others to do the same.

This QBC enterprise agreement campaign has been a wonderful example of how collective action can achieve tangible results.

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