NSW Nurses are going on strike once more as negotiations to increase pay and conditions with the NSW Government via the Industrial Relations Commission have broken down.

The 24-hour strike started at 7 o'clock this morning (Wednesday), running until 7am Thursday. Three shifts of nurses will be absent from public hospitals across the state, including Lismore Base Hospital, with minimal, life-preserving staffing to care for those in hospitals. 

The president of the local NSWNMA (NSW Nurses and Midwives Association) branch, Penelope Anderson, is “furious, frustrated, angry and beyond insulted” about the situation that has developed.

Penelope said, “After the last strike action, the Industrial Relations Commission said that they wanted us to pause all strike action for four weeks of intensive negotiations.

“So nurses and midwives agreed, and the government's responsibility was to give us the 3% pay rise with back pay as an interim pay rise as a sign of good faith, and then come to the table for intensive negotiations.”

Penelope reports that the 3% was never paid, and the government has not come close to the pay increase that NSWNMA need to retain and replenish lost staff, “At these intensive negotiations, they refused to budge on pay, which is what our biggest claim is. They sat at the table for negotiations with absolutely nothing."

NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish confirmed that members were irate over the government's unwillingness to negotiate a fair and equitable wage deal. 

"Once again, the NSW government has snubbed nurses and midwives, leaving behind the state's largest female-dominated workforce," said Ms Candish. 

"Teachers, paramedics, and now police have all received historic, once-in-a-generation pay rises. The decision to give police more than double the offer for nurses speaks volumes. The message to NSW women, who make up 86% of our nursing and midwifery workforce, is clear: their hard work is worth less in the eyes of this government.”

(A placard ready for the morning strike rally)

"The government cannot continue to ignore the reality that NSW's healthcare system is crumbling due to severe understaffing and unfair wages. They cannot avoid the responsibility of fixing this crisis any longer.”

Penelope says, “Literally, the pressure and the exhaustion of working three or four overtime shifts a week is just too much.”

Agency nurses have been filling shifts when needed. However, it has been revealed that the government has commenced a new tender to fill agency roles from 16th September 2024. The revised remuneration and package have been reduced, making agencies balk at working in the NSW system.

Affinity has reported that “the rates in the contract are below the national market offering in other states.”

The award pay and conditions are not sufficient and Affinity will not subject their staff to these new conditions. They stated, “We will not be offering NSW Health contracts as a standard offering with Affinity.”

The pay and conditions are greater north of the Northern Rivers - in QLD, which tempts many nurses to move there for work.

“Just last week, I went to a farewell dinner for three more staff that are crossing the border to go to Queensland,” Penelope says, “Those of us that are staying, we're stuck here because we've got kids in school, or we've got mortgages, or we've got elderly parents, or we've got community responsibilities that are keeping us here.

“We are left shouldering the burden of all this excessive overtime.

“We're in an absolute crisis. We are running so short-staffed on the wards. Here at Lismore, we are relying on agency staff, and over time, every single shift throughout the hospital, it's unbelievable.”

Ms Candish says, "Our nurses and midwives are at breaking point and are crying out for help; they can't work in these conditions any longer. By neglecting nurses, they are neglecting the health and safety of every single person in this state. This government must step up, face the reality, and meet their responsibility to our healthcare workers and our community. 

"Nurses and midwives deserve respect, they deserve fair pay, and they deserve a government that values their work. We will not be silenced, and we will not stop fighting until our voices are heard and our demands are met." 

Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) is committed to providing safe care for its patients. In a recent statement in regards to midwifery, they said, “Attracting and retaining the required healthcare staff, particularly to rural and remote areas, remains a long-standing challenge for NSW and every other state and territory across Australia.”

NNSWLHD has announced a sign-on bonus of $20,000 for midwives moving to regional centres from a metro or interstate hospital. Midwives attracted to Lismore Base Hospital will be eligible for this bonus. 

Lismore Base has approximately 1250 births a year. Over half of all babies are born vaginally with no intervention. No figures were able to be obtained on how many midwives are currently supporting this workload.  

Lismore’s state MP, Janelle Saffin, has discussed the situation with the Nurses and listened to their appeals. Ms Saffin has spoken with the Minister for Health, The Hon Ryan Park MP, and written to him to support the local health network.

The reply to Ms Saffin by MP Park, was sent prior to the IRC negotiations and expressed appreciation for the “unwavering commitment and hard work nurses and midwives put in day in and day out.”

MP Park acknowledges, “We know gratitude doesn’t pay the bills and understand the challenges posed by the increasing cost of living.”

MP Park then goes on to confirm works that have been done - abolishing the wage cap, which allows pay negotiations, and;

• Delivering the largest pay rise for nurses and midwives in over a decade (10.5% was offered)
• Doubling rural health incentives for our hardest and most critical roles to fill
• Delivering modern, sustainable staff accommodation across NSW
• Beginning to implement safe staffing levels (only two metropolitan hospitals have this targeted, currently)

Further information regarding these points are being sought and will be reported when possible.

NSWNMA know that at least a 15% pay rise is necessary to at least slow the movement of nurses out of the state.  

Penelope clarifies the situation, “At these intensive negotiations, they refused to budge on pay, which is what our biggest claim is. We need a substantial pay rise so that we stop losing nurses to every other state in Australia or to other industries that pay so much more. 

“15% won't get us to parity with Queensland, but it'll get us hopefully where there'll be a few people tempted to stay.

“For the job that we do, the pressure that we're under, the responsibility that we have, the pay is frankly pathetic. It is outrageous.”

The NSWNMA will gather at Spinks Park at 10am for a rally, followed by a street march around the CBD, including a stop at MP Janelle Saffin's office to drop in some letters of support for change.

The NSWNMA are determined to continue strike action until their needs are met.