Ballarat nurses and midwives are among thousands across the state to start industrial action amid a dispute over improved wages, allowances and conditions.
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From May 7, members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation will wear red t-shirts, refuse to work overtime, tell patients about the campaign, refuse to fill in administrative paperwork and other measures as part of the campaign.
ANMF (Vic branch) secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said the bans, while disruptive and inconvenient, would not impact on patient health or welfare.
"Nurses and midwives take industrial action as a last resort when no one is listening to them," she said.
Among the concerns are the increased casualisation of the workforce causing rostering challenges and contributing to hospital budget blowouts.
They are calling for a range of measures to retain, recruit and rebuild the workforce of early career and experienced nurses and midwives, new or improved financial incentives to reward working extra permanent hours and unpopular shifts, and financial disincentives for unpopular employer rostering practices such as redeployment, reliance on overtime and missed meal breaks.
"'Hospital spending on unrostered and rostered overtime and agency nurses and midwives has doubled over the last four years alone, hospitals could save a bucketload of money if they rebuild their permanent workforce," Ms Fitzpatrick said.
Last week, Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas said negotiations were progressing but any wage increases would have to be in line with the government's three per cent cap on public sector pay rises.
"Negotiations will continue and I hope that we see a resolution," she said.
Stage two industrial action, including the closure of one in four beds, cancellation of one in four elective surgeries, and stop work meetings could come in to effect from May 17.
At a meeting on March 21, nurses and midwives rejected a state government offer of a three per cent pay rise a year plus an annual $1500 payment (pro-rate for part time). They will meet again on May 15 to consider a new offer, or confirm the start of the next stage of industrial action.
"If we reverse casualisation and rebuild our permanent nursing and midwifery workforce to 2018 levels, we can fix our health system," Ms Fitzpatrick said.
