Nurses have received public support from a major ally ahead of tomorrow's strike, while the opposition has called for unions to respect the industrial umpire's orders.
Nurses have received the backing of the Australian Medical Association WA's president amid threats from the industrial umpire to crackdown on companies that transport workers to tomorrow's strike.
Australian Nursing Federation president Janet Reah yesterday said she was seeking legal advice as she vowed in a tempestuous press appearance, which lasted less than two minutes, to push ahead with scheduled industrial action.
Ms Reah appeared particularly aggrieved with Commissioner Rachel Cosentino saying she would consider summonsing any transport provider involved in the strike.
Commissioner Cosentino indicated she wouldn’t do so unless the ANF defies the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission's orders.
That appears likely, with Ms Reah telling reporters immediately after yesterday's hearing that Friday's strike would go ahead.
“I’m sorry, Mr McGowan and your cabinet, we’ve had enough, and we are rallying Friday, and we are striking, and bring it on,” she said.
Negotiations between the ANF and the state government have been complicated by comments made by Ms Reah earlier this month in which she appeared to concede the union may have to reel in its demand for a 5 per cent pay increase and seek other concessions.
The state government has offered a 3 per cent salary bump and a one-off, $3,000 cost-of-living payment.
Outgoing chief Mark Olson later clarified Ms Reah's statement, but Premier Mark McGowan appeared to seize on the error, insisting the union had been given it what it was seeking.
While both parties appeared to come to an agreement last week after concessions were reached on the introduction of after nurse-to-patient ratios, members were furious, voting down the offer.
Mr Olson has since been sidelined in the dispute.
Mr McGowan has in recent days repeatedly pleaded publically with the ANF not to go on strike.
And while opposition health spokesperson Libby Mettam conceded it was reasonable for the nurses to ask for a 5 per cent pay increase, she stopped short of endorsing industrial action.
“We have been saying [from the start of the dispute] that the unions should respect the directions of the IRC. That position has never changed,” she said.
Australian Medical Association WA president Mark Duncan-Smith this morning spoke in solidarity with the ANF, conceding to Nine Entertainment’s Gary Adshead on 6PR that the union had limited options available other than to go on strike.
“It would appear that way,” he said.
Category 2 and 3 elective surgeries scheduled for today and tomorrow have been postponed in anticipation of the strike.
While the most urgent procedures will still go ahead, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson yesterday said they would be affected without specifying to what extent.
Documents provided to the IRC indicate staffing levels will be maintained to allow for category 1 surgeries, however, Commissioner Cosentino said in her order that the guide did not provide assurance planned actions would not pose a risk to public health and safety.
Dr Duncan-Smith was today adamant patient care would not be compromised by the strike.
He said claims otherwise amounted to "scaremongering".
“Ultimately, this isn’t about the government, it isn’t about the nurses, it’s about the patients,” he said.
