Nurses strike in pay fight
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NSW nurses and midwives have held a statewide strike demanding a 15 per cent pay increase.
Last week, public sector nurses and midwives in New South Wales initiated a state-wide strike, halting work for more than 12 hours to demand a pay increase from the NSW government.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) orchestrated the strike in response to what they described as government inaction on wage negotiations, despite 10 prior meetings.
The protest, held from 7 am to 7:30 pm, aimed to highlight frustrations with being undervalued and overworked.
“Not once in our 10 negotiation meetings has the government sat at the table and discussed nurses and midwives' pay,” said NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish.
She said that significant savings had been identified to fund the wage increase, and that public health staff should not bear the cost of implementing safe staffing ratios.
No other workforce is asked to “pay for their own resources”, the union says.
Despite an order from the NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to abandon the strike, the union proceeded with its plans.
The NSWNMA claimed the decision was necessary, citing a decade of wage suppression and unsafe working conditions.
“The haemorrhaging of staff to other states, unlivable pay, and unsafe working conditions must be addressed,” a union spokesperson said.
The union also criticised the state’s Labor government for its inadequate offer of a 10.5 per cent pay rise over three years, arguing it contradicts their platform of gender equity.
Health Minister Ryan Park expressed concerns over the strike’s impact, warning of longer patient wait times and disruptions to non-emergency services.
Despite these warnings, minimal staffing remained in place to ensure life-preserving care during the strike.
The NSWNMA has vowed to continue pushing for fair wages, saying the future of the state’s public health system depends on adequately compensating its nursing and midwifery workforce.