More than 6,500 public sector nurses and midwives in South Australia will receive an immediate four per cent pay rise, with a further two per cent increase due in October, after the state government reached an interim agreement with their union.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has agreed to suspend planned industrial action at Lyell McEwin Hospital next week while negotiations continue on a full enterprise agreement. The strike had raised concerns about possible disruption to elective surgery, outpatient appointments and broader hospital operations.
The four per cent increase will be backdated to 1 January and is expected to take effect within weeks. Combined with the additional two per cent rise scheduled for October, the changes mean many nurses will see annual pay increases exceeding $6,000.
For the 4,058 nurses and midwives at the top of the RN1 pay scale, the adjustment represents an increase of more than $6,200, bringing full time salaries to $108,311. Among the 2,514 at the highest RN2 band, the rise amounts to $6,718, lifting full time pay to $117,215. The increases apply to base salaries and flow through to penalties and allowances linked to salary.
The Malinauskas Government said the interim arrangement ensures staff do not miss out on wage growth while caretaker conventions, which begin ahead of the state election, limit its capacity to make longer term financial commitments.
Ministers say they have made four offers during bargaining, the latest proposing an 11.14 per cent pay rise over three years, compounded, alongside other incentives. The government maintains it remains committed to reaching a new enterprise agreement that improves both pay and conditions.
Union representatives have argued that pay and staffing pressures have placed sustained strain on the workforce. While welcoming movement on wages, they continue to push for broader improvements as negotiations progress.
The government points to wider investment in the health system over the past four years, including the recruitment of more than 2,700 additional frontline health workers above attrition. That figure includes 1,462 nurses and midwives, well above its 2022 election pledge. It has also legislated nurse to patient ratios across public hospitals and expanded bed capacity by more than 600 beds.
Treasurer Kyam Maher said the government had acted in good faith throughout negotiations and was pleased an interim rise had been secured alongside the suspension of strike action. Health Minister Chris Picton said the government wanted to ensure nurses and midwives received what he described as a genuine pay increase.
Formal bargaining is set to continue in the coming months, with both sides under pressure to reach a settlement that balances workforce expectations with budget constraints.
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