I too support working from within to ensure that midwives have a voice in the formulation & implementation of industrial policy. The NSWNA has recently established a Midwifery Reference Group and has frequent discussions with the NSWNA regarding midwifery issues. I believe that we will only progress midwifery issues if we use the clout & support of the relevant industrial forum ( and the community)- ACMI numbers are too small to do otherwise. Using this avenue also ensures that nurses know where we are coming from and that our professions generally run parallel and sometimes actually intersect. Working in this way also ensures that all women will receive the benefit of any gains made as progress will be across the board and hopefully mean increased equity in the provision of maternity care ie. midwives providing the choice of homebirth from a health facility base, increased birth centres, increased staffing for pre & post natal care etc, instead of the inequitable situation we have now. I implore midwives to become proactive in their relevant State union and to join & support the ACMI. Liz McCall ----- Original Message ----- From: Christine & Tony Holliday <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 9:25 AM Subject: RE: ANF > Katrina, > > I have to support what you say about needing industrial representation and I > too do not see this as the job of the ACMI. We also need numbers for > industrial representation to be effective and joining with (not being part > of) the nurses is a way of gaining numbers. In SA we have a Midwifery > Reference Group within the ANF, which is helping to make some changes > (admittedly small so far) within the ANF. The only way to change > organizations is to continually lobby from within as well as outside. > > Christine. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Katrina Vincent > Sent: Sunday, 2 September 2001 8:43 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: ANF > > Dear Anne, > I am a midwife who at this stage of my life/career, choose to work within > the hospital system. I am a member of ACMI, but also of ANF, because ANF > provides industrial representation and insurance cover, while ACMI does > not. > The way I see it, ACMI is a professional association and ANF is basically a > trade union. I, too, am horrified at the midwife/client ratio recently > agreed to by ANF, and deplore ANF's refusal to recognise midwifery as > separate from nursing. However, I have ANF to thank for my current rates of > pay. > On the insurance issue, I have had reason to be very grateful for the legal > service provided by my ANF membership, at no additional cost to me, in the > preparation of statements requested by my employer for submission to the > Coroners Court. I don't have the confidence that my employer will back me > in a court of law if they can use me as a scapegoat to save their own skin. > I am a midwife, and I shouldn't have to belong to a nursing union, but until > there is a viable alternative, I'll continue to be a member. > In the meantime, I'll continue to write letters to anyone and everyone about > the insurance issue for private practice midwives - (I have been a consumer > of IP midwifery), I'll continue to talk to my hospital colleagues about the > importance of belonging to and therefore strengthening ACMI, I'll continue > to circulate the Maternity Coalition petition, I'll keep talking to my > clients, the mums at my local school and kindergarten, my local MP's and > anyone else who'll stand still for long enough about the benefits and safety > of midwives as the lead carers in the provision of maternity care to healthy > mothers and babies. > So, thats why I choose to be a member of ANF. > Best wishes, > Katrina > > >From: "Anne Clarke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: "OZMIDWIFERY" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: ANF > >Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2001 12:55:19 +1000 > > > >Dear Andrea and all, > > > >That might be well and good that most Midwives are members of the ANF in > >Victoria, but do they realise that the ANF is taking a Nursing perspective > >not a Midwives perspective while so called 'representing' them to the Gov.? > > > >I would hope that ANF member Midwives are clued into this and get involved > >because it sounds that their membership to the ANF is not worth the money > >if the ANF is flushing their practice down the toilet! > > > >As far as the insurance cover, do they know that NO union covers their > >members for indemnity only legal? > > > >If the Nurses Union here in Queensland covered me for the indemnity part of > >insurance I too would be happy, but they don't, only limited legal cover. > >The hospital, if a staff member, covers for indemnity, that's if they don't > >drop you like a hot potato in court, beleive me if it means you or them, > >who do you think they would leave 'holding the proverbial bag'. The legal > >cover you may gain from the union may help to a point in court (hearing), > >but the person(s) taking the action can still take you to civil court. > > > >If the ANF have asked you to participate, I would hope that you would make > >them realise that they have members who are Midwives not Nurses and to have > >an arm of Midwives (that practice Midwifery mind you) that deal with > >members issues that pertain to Midwives. > > > >Midwives who are members of the ANF in Victoria should be up in arms about > >the ANF discussing Midwifery issues that they (ANF) OBVIOUSLY do not > >understand or they wouldn't have negotiated or suggested such ludicrous > >mother/midwife ratio's. > > > >Put them right Andrea and our Victorian Colleagues NOW NOW NOW. > > > >Anne Clarke > >Brisbane > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
