Thousands of nurses have walked off the job for the second time in less than two months to demand better pay and safer working conditions.
More than 20 rallies are taking place across NSW after a six-week standoff with the state government following a strike in February.
Nurses are calling on the government to increase nurse-to-patient ratios, improve maternity staffing on every shift and pay an allowance to nurses working in regional hospitals.
It comes after the union reported multiple “code yellow” incidents – indicating an internal staffing emergency – in the past five weeks.
Double shifts, increased overtime, staff vacancies left unfilled for months and daily texts begging staff to pick up extra shifts are among some of the anecdotal evidence offered up by the union.
Acting Premier Paul Toole told parliament on Thursday afternoon the government was committed to supporting health staff, but gave no specific indication on how that would be achieved.
“We are working on a fair and reasonable outcome for the nurses and their interests, but also ensuring that patient care is still a number one priority,” he said.
“Now, it’s unfortunate today we’ve actually seen strikes taking place that actually may lead to disruptions, but NSW has had plans in place to minimise these disruptions.”
Neither the government nor the opposition have agreed with the union’s demand for fixed worker-to-patient ratios.
The government has argued the proposal would impact negatively on the “flexibility” of the state‘s health response.
Opposition Leader Chris Minns has avoided committing the party to a position, saying it’s too far from the next state election to make any promises.
“We want to make sure we approach this thing in a diligent and calm manner … I can't give that guarantee today,” he told reporters.
Mr Minns said he also couldn’t commit to supporting a Bill flagged by Greens MP Cate Faehrmann on Thursday which would bring NSW in line with Queensland and Victoria by mandating nurse-to-patient ratios in law.
Mr Toole seized on the Opposition Leader‘s dithering in his question time remarks, accusing Mr Minns of being “too lazy” to commit to a position and waving a printed-out newspaper front page reading “Year of the strike” with the Labor Party’s logo pasted above.
More than 160 branches of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association are participating in the 24-hour strike or work bans.
An order was issued by the Industrial Relations Commission on Friday requesting the union cancel the strike.
But a majority of the union’s branches voted in favour of moving ahead with the industrial actions.
“Nurses and midwives don’t take strike action lightly – but the Perrottet government’s handling of our state’s health system has been utterly inadequate,” the union said in a statement.
The main rally kicked off around 10am, drawing crowds outside NSW Parliament House on Macquarie St in Sydney.
“Despite their pleas for more support from the government, nurses and midwives are extremely fatigued from working double shifts and increased amounts of overtime, because of the growing gaps in staffing rosters,” NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said.
He said nurses’ demands prioritise patient care and safety by guaranteeing a minimum number of staff each shift.
The union is demanding a 4.75 per cent pay increase.
The NSWNMA met with Premier Dominic Perrottet on February 21 to outline its demands but has not received a response.
Life-preserving services are being maintained in all public hospitals and health services, while staff in flood-affected areas will prioritise crisis care over the industrial action.
