Copyright thewest
A 10 month stand-off is over after a state's nurses and midwives accepting a $1.8 billion pay deal, double their initial offer. Queensland's public nurses and midwives are set to be among the highest paid in the country after voting in favour of the new agreement, marking their biggest wage increase since 2012. The near 85 per cent yes vote from Queensland Health's 60,000-plus nurses and midwives was confirmed on Wednesday following months of talks and strikes. They are set to receive more than $38 million in back pay as part of the agreement which will go to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission for certification. The pay deal is a major improvement on the $900 million initially offered by the state government. "You should be very proud. Today's ballot outcome highlights what being part of a union is all about," Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union (QNMU) Secretary Sarah Beaman said. "We have each other's backs - and the backs of those we care for." A 13 per cent pay rise over three years was initially sought by the union when enterprise bargaining talks began in January. They have agreed to an 11 per cent increase over three years. Pay negotiations initially broke down, with about 45,000 workers taking part in industrial action for the first time in more than 20 years. The new deal features overtime paid at double time for all shift workers in what the union described as an "Australian first". Queensland are set to overtake Victoria where public sector nurses and midwives voted to endorse a 28.4 per cent wage increase by November 2027.
