Nurse Unions' Federal Secretary To Run As ACTU President, Australia

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 29 Nov 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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The Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), Ged Kearney, has been nominated as a candidate to run for the head of the country's peak union body, the ACTU, it was announced today.

Ms Kearney said she was "honoured" to be nominated to replace current ACTU President Sharan Burrow, who has done an "amazing job".

"Obviously there are other candidates running for the position, but I am excited by the fact that the some of the country's smallest and biggest unions have supported my nomination," Ms Kearney said.

"It's a great honour to be nominated as a candidate for such an important position, with the ACTU representing the rights of over two million Australian workers."

Ms Kearney is a registered nurse who spent 15 years practicising in general surgery and clinical education in Melbourne.

"When I first started working, I never imagined it would be possible for a nurse to be nominated as the President of the ACTU," she said.

Ms Kearney has significant experience leading one of Australia's largest and fastest growing unions, the Australian Nursing Federation, which represents over 170,000 nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing, in the public and private health sectors. Ms Kearney said if elected she would bring fresh ideas and her experience as the head of a growing union to the position, including a greater focus on:

_ Drawing affiliates on common industrial issues from across the union movement.
_ Lobbying for social change.
_ Campaigning pro-actively.

"It's that type of pro-active campaigning that brings greater overall relevance to the union movement in Australia."

Ms Kearney is currently heading the ANF's Because We Care campaign - a national campaign in private sector aged care, aimed at securing better funding, staffing and quality of care for older Australians.

"Post WorkChoices, the ANF have had amazing growth of over 4-5 percent nationally, over 7,000 new nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing have joined the ANF and almost 96% of this growth are from women workers.

"I am proud to be part of growing a union, and attracting women to our union is crucial." The Because We Care campaign has engaged with aged care providers, aged care workers, the community and with the Government to achieve our objectives for older Australians and for workers in aged care.

"If elected, I think I would bring a fresh approach and new ideas to the ACTU, and help communicate with the wider Australian community, just as I have done with the Because We Care campaign. There is much to do in Australia, and I look forward to the challenges," Ms Kearney said.

"While the ACTU plays a vital role in determining policies and overall strategies for the union movement, I believe it should also participate in wider social issues affecting Australian workers and their families.

"The ACTU needs to play a greater role in big ticket national issues - we are the voice of the people.

"As I said, I am a registered nurse, but I too am very busy juggling my work with my family. I have four children and much of my time is taken up at sporting events, parent teacher interviews and being a mum. My twin's girls are 22, my son 18, and my youngest daughter is 16.

"In my personal time my family and I love to get away to the beach in Victoria, where I can catch up on reading and spend time with the kids".

Source
Australian Nursing Federation

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