The Fair Work Commission last week denied an ANMF injunction for Victorian employees, who will be covered by a separate agreement. Bolton Clarke employees are currently covered by five agreements, including the Royal District Nursing Service Ltd Victorian Operations Enterprise Agreement 2016 and the RSL Care Enterprise Agreement 2015. The tug-of-war began during negotiations for a company deal with Bolton Clarke, which employs hundreds of nurses in its senior care centres. Mel Leahy, chief people officer, said the results reported on July 12 meant the organization could offer an agreement that would better recognize the value of all employees and ensure they would benefit from their national presence. The proposed deal would have cemented a two-stage unfair wage and conditions system resulting from the acquisition of the Victorian Royal District Nursing Service by Queensland`s RSL Care in 2015. The new unit, Bolton Clarke, employs nurses in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. Negotiations on Bolton Clarke`s corporate negotiations are expected to resume in mid-October. Within minutes of the hearing that began last week, QNMU representative Kevin Crank acknowledged that the NPAQ had the right to represent members in business negotiations. The company proposed an annex that met the Victorian requirements of the RDNS contract and allowed existing Victorian employees to retain their rights. Victorian employees can also opt for the new agreement. Former RDNS nurses have not had a salary increase since 2017.
The RDNS agreement expired in July 2018. Bolton Clarke withdrew from the negotiations in March 2019 and put his proposed two-stage deal to the vote in July. It was overwhelmingly rejected by staff. Our privacy statement is available on our website at www.boltonclarke.com.au/about-us/our-policies/. . . .