As per a recent report, the demand by Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) that bitter pay and conditions dispute should be resolved by Fair Work Australia has been rejected by the Health Minister David Davis on Thursday.

It has been found by the report that nurses from the ANF had planned a stop-work action at three hospitals in Footscray, which include Royal Melbourne Hospital, Dandenong Hospital and Western Hospital, in order to get their demand fulfilled. But, the health minister after looking into the matter has decided that the proposal would be taken forward.

The report has revealed that he has asked the industrial umpire not to allow nurses to implement their plan related to stop-work. Also, he has told that Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association would be required to give an early response to their demand by next week.

As a consequence of Davis’s decision, nurses have been planning to walk off their jobs nearly for four hours on Friday showing their outrage. It is being said that they are still urging the government to order the Fair Work Australia to intervene in the dispute regarding pay and nurse-to-patient ratios. However, the government has decided to interfere only after body representing Victorian hospitals looks into the matter and responds.

Davis has told that the demand by the ANF would cost them a whole lot each year on health services as well as wages. Also, he warns nurses that if they refuse to follow umpire’s order of halting their action, another legal action could be filed against them in the Federal Court.

But, Lisa Fitzpatrick, the ANF Victorian secretary, while remaining stiff on her part adds that in case the government fails to announce Fair Work Australia’s intervention in the dispute, they would certainly continue with their unprotected industrial action.