State secretary loser lodges criticism towards nursing union

The Australian Nursing Federation has been ordered by the office umpire to handover its membership register and the electoral roll on the union’s current, closely-fought management contest.

Samantha Fenn, who misplaced the marketing campaign for union state secretary to Janet Reah by simply 56 votes in October, lodged a criticism with the WA Industrial Relations Fee concerning the conduct of the election.

The registered nurse claimed there wasn’t sufficient time for union members to return their ballots and that there have been “discrepancies” between the roll of voters and the ANF’s membership data.

The ANF objected to their launch attributable to “confidentiality” causes, however IRC chief commissioner Stephen Kenner on Wednesday ordered the paperwork be handed over by December 16.

The WA Electoral Fee should additionally launch the electoral roll and any register of members it was equipped by the union, in addition to correspondence and paperwork associated to late poll packages.

It means the ANF is now combating battles on two fronts within the IRC, with the fee additionally making an attempt to mediate the union’s pay battle with the WA Well being Division.

Ms Reah has repeatedly ignored the fee’s orders over the previous fortnight, culminating in Friday’s State-wide strike that noticed 3000 nurses march on Parliament and 341 elective surgical procedures postponed.

In the meantime, it emerged Ms Reah’s predecessor, Mark Olson, has additional entrenched his place within the organisation, regardless of disappearing from media duties in current weeks.

Mr Olson, who was state secretary for twenty-four years earlier than being appointed to the newly created job of chief government in August, was appointed to the ANF department council in September by way of an off-the-cuff emptiness.

Ms Reah, who clarified she was nonetheless working “intently” with Mr Olson, stated the union estimated it might price the State an additional $36 million a yr — on high of the pay rise already on the desk — to clinch a deal.

The ANF needs a sweetener provided to nurses who mentor colleagues — a brand new annual allowance value $1200 — to be prolonged throughout all nurses and midwives within the public sector.

At Friday’s rally, putting nurses and midwives had been waving placards demanding the bottom wage rise on provide be improved from the present 3 per cent to five per cent.