Queensland Nurses for Choice and Health (QNCH) with NPAQ support is gearing up to imminently apply for registration with the QIRC to fight the 2022 Industrial Relations amendments pushed through by the ALP that have created an unjust system that strips Queensland nurses of their fundamental human right to freedom of association. These changes weren't about protecting workers - they are about protecting millions in union donations flowing to the ALP. Together we are gearing up for a fight, as recently reported in the Courier mail titled “NPAQ in call for union status”.
The amendments deliberately removed "industrial associations" from the Act and restricted representation rights, forcing nurses to pay inflated fees to the QNMU, who then uses those funds to bankroll political campaigns and often denies timely representation when paying members are in need. This partisan use of money is evidenced with the QNMU’s recent “Put the LNP last” campaign, instead of fighting for better wages and conditions. This monopolistic system flies in the face of international labor conventions and human rights principles that Australia has committed to uphold.
That's why the formation of QNCH, backed by NPAQ's nearly 12,000 members, represents such a substantial challenge to this monopolistic system. We're not just creating another organisation - we're mounting a direct challenge to laws that unfairly sideline you, our members, and try to force nurses and midwives to join a single union whether they agree with its politics or not.
Our Multi-Pronged Strategy
Legal Challenge: By applying for registration under Chapter 12 of the Industrial Relations Act, QNCH is expecting to be challenged by the current restrictive framework that denies nurses their right to choose their representation. We're fighting to restore the basic human rights guaranteed by international conventions - the right to form and join organisations of our own choosing.
Member Mobilisation: With NPAQ representing almost 20% of Queensland's nursing workforce, we have significant collective power. The ALP and QNMU can try to silence us through legislation, but they can't silence our members' voices in workplace votes and decisions.
Enterprise Bargaining: As EB12 approaches, we're preparing to challenge the monopolistic restrictions on bargaining. Every nurse and midwife covered by the agreement should have a say in their representation - it's a basic democratic principle that the current system denies.
The Stakes Are High
This isn't just about union competition - it's about fundamental rights and fairness. When nurses and midwives are forced into a single organisation that prioritises political campaigns over workplace advocacy, everyone loses. The proof is in the results: since 2009, real wage growth has barely outpaced inflation. Pay increases merely cover QNMU union fee increases, despite all the QNMU's claimed influence.
The system needs competition and accountability. Nurses deserve the right to choose representation that aligns with their values and prioritises their interests, not political agendas.
Call to Action
We call on every nurse and midwife who values democracy and basic workplace and human rights to stand with us against this oppressive system. We're building an unstoppable movement that fights exclusively for nurses' and midwives' interests - not funding political agenda's with your hard-earned money.
The battle ahead to restore freedom of association in Queensland healthcare will be fierce - the ALP and their union allies won't surrender their monopolistic control without a fight. But this fundamental human right, stripped away by their self-serving 2022 amendments, must be restored. QNCH's formation and imminent registration is just the first step in dismantling this oppressive system that forces nurses and midwives to fund political campaigns. Together, we will break this monopoly, challenge these unjust laws, and create a system that puts nurses and midwives first.