IVF nurses walk off the job at Queensland clinics
Clinics operated by Queensland Fertility Group, including the Spring Hill Specialist Day Hospital, were among those affected by the planned four-hour strike, which was due to begin at 2pm.
QFG managing director Melanie Sibson assured patients and their families 'that the proposed industrial action will not impact patient care and outcomes in any way'.
The Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union criticised Queensland Fertility Group owner Virtus Health for offering what they said amounted to a pay decrease for nurses at the company's eight IVF clinics and two day hospitals across the state.
'We believe Virtus Health and Queensland Fertility Group can afford to pay their skilled nurses a fair wage,' QNMU secretary Sarah Beaman said.
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'While Virtus Health and Queensland Fertility Group continue to increase charges to clients, they are adamantly refusing to offer their highly skilled nurses the wage increase they deserve and need during an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.'
The QFG website lists the cost of an initial round of in vitro fertilisation (IVF), before Medicare rebates, at $11,090. An initial round of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), a procedure used to assist the fertilisation process in cases attributed to male fertility issues, costs $12,420.
Sibson said 'we believe the offer is fair and reasonable', adding the group 'remain committed to continuing negotiations in an open and constructive manner'.
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