A planned strike at Western Australia's biggest hospital has been called off as the nurses' union and state government edge towards a new pay deal.
More than 500 nurses and midwives had been expected to walk off the job at Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday, forcing the likely cancellation of some elective surgeries.
However, the Australian Nursing Federation on Tuesday agreed to call off the industrial action after receiving an improved offer from the government.
Under the deal, some nurses would receive sweetened allowances, and employees would be able to cash out a week of leave without employer approval.
The union also won further changes to the proposed nurse-to-patient ratios, which had been a sticking point in the dispute.
Nurses and midwives are yet to vote on the offer, which is headlined by a three per cent annual pay rise and a one-off $3000 bonus.
"This (fourth) offer is contingent on the ANF agreeing to call off the industrial action while members consider the offer and then vote on it," the union told members.
"We have agreed to call off the industrial action."
Nurses had planned to strike at Rockingham Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital later this week.
The union's chief executive Mark Olson said members had rejected an offer put to them overnight before talks resumed on Tuesday.
"We put it out there. At this stage, the members are still saying 'not good enough'," he told Perth radio 6PR.
"We won't be able to fill those ratios of nurses and midwives unless we can retain the nurses we've got and attract them from interstate."
Premier Mark McGowan had flagged that some patients at Fiona Stanley would have their elective surgeries cancelled if the industrial action went ahead.
"We've worked to try to meet most of the requests of the nurses' union during this process. I just don't think there's any need for industrial action," Mr McGowan said.
Police have also launched industrial action after rejecting a pay deal offered by the McGowan government.
