Nurses across NSW are preparing to walk off the job for the first time in almost a decade after two years of sacrifices throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thousands of nurses and midwives from more than 150 public hospitals have voted in favour of a strike on Tuesday amid calls for better staffing and more pay.
Nurses are fighting for a pay rise of more than 2.5 per cent to compensate for the pay freeze, which was imposed just as the pandemic began in 2020.
It will be the largest industrial action taken by nurses across the state since 2013 and comes just days after non-urgent elective surgery was reintroducedxjmtzyw.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association general secretary Brett Holmes said while many nurses don’t support industrial action, they are at breaking point.
“We don’t recommend industrial action lightly, especially when a pandemic is still underway, but the status quo can’t continue,” he said.
“We can’t return to pre-Covid-19 staffing levels when we were already in crisis.”
Nurses at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney’s inner west are preparing for a full-day strike, while Westmead and Cumberland hospitals are expected to strike for 12 hours.
Enough staff to care for critically ill patients will remain at work.
Nurses will also rally across the state, with many taking to NSW parliament on the first sitting day of the year.
Tuesday’s industrial action will be the first since July 2013, as hospitals across NSW remain on high alert for Covid-19 patients.
“If the premier wants a well-staffed, well trained and resilient nursing and midwifery workforce in the public health system, then he must act now and implement shift by shift ratios across NSW,” Mr Holmes said.
Mr Holmes said the union is pushing for a pay rise above 2.5 per cent and no changes to compensation for Covid-19 workers.
The union has been pushing to meet with Premier Dominic Perrottet for weeks to discuss concerns.
“The staffing crisis in health won’t simply go away as Covid-19 case numbers reduce,” Mr Holmes said.
“What we’re asking for is not unreasonable. There’s evidence nurse-to-patient ratios do save lives and result in better patient outcomes.”
