Vic: Nurses to vote over on going dispute

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2000
Vic: Nurses to vote over on going dispute

Thousands of nurses will decide tomorrow whether they'll lift the work bans which have
crippled Victoria's hospital system and agree to have their dispute arbitrated.

The nurses will hold a massive stop-work meeting, reminiscent of the one they held
a week ago, where they agreed to close up to 2,000 hospital beds.

They'll vote on whether their pay and conditions dispute should be arbitrated by the
Australian Industrial Relations Commission in the meeting to be held at Melbourne's Festival
Hall.

The Australian Nursing Federation estimates there are now more than 1,300 hospital
beds closed across the state.

The state branch council of the ANF yesterday unanimously endorsed a recommendation
of the Industrial Relations Commission that the dispute be arbitrated.

The council will recommend the nurses vote to accept that course of action and lift bans.

The ANF's demand for a 24 per cent payrise has been met with disdain by the state government,
which has offered only nine per cent.

AAP RTV hmg/jlw/et/jn

KEYWORD: NURSES VIC (MELBOURNE)

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