NSW nurse strike: Eurobodalla nurses strike, march in Batemans Bay demanding more pay
Nurses around NSW have gone on strike, demanding higher pay and better working conditions. Here is how the strike played out for nurses on the south coast.
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Dozens of angry, fed up south coast nurses have made the “serious” decision to go on strike, marching through multiple CBDs calling for higher pay and improved working conditions.
The Batemans Bay and Moruya strikes formed part of a major statewide demonstration organised by the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association on Tuesday.
Nurses across the state marched through towns calling on the government for a 15 per cent pay rise, including hundreds of demonstrators who protested outside the NSW Premier Chris Minn’s office in southern Sydney, shouting “shame, shame, shame”.
Hundreds of kilometres south in Batemans Bay, nurses from around the coastal region shouted their message to the NSW government: enough is enough.
“One, two, three, four; we want more in 24,” the nurses called as they marched through Batemans Bay streets.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association Eurobodalla Branch secretary, Donna Thomson, said nurses on the coast were striking to have their voices heard.
“The government has refused to give us a decent pay rise,” Ms Thomson told this publication.
“We’ve been capped through the Liberal Government and now, the Labor Government has offered us a stingy three per cent.”
Ms Thomson said nurses were demanding a much larger pay rise of 15 per cent.
“Our wages have not increased with the cost of living and it’s not fair,” she said.
“They’re just taking us for granted.”
Ms Thomson said she was “proud” to see so many nurses out marching in Batemans Bay.
“We look after they weak and vulnerable and they just don’t care anymore,” she said.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association Eurobodalla Branch vice president, Larissa O’Neill, said nurses deserved the 15 per cent pay rise.
“We’re also asking for safer conditions,” she said.
“A lot of nurses are going over the border to places like QLD to have higher pay and greater working conditions.”
She said students were also facing major issues, such as having to complete 840 hours of unpaid work placement.
“I had 33 people in my course at the start and only 11 graduated,” Ms O’Neill said.
“It’s just so difficult.”
NSW Health minister Ryan Park told this publication he was aware of the planned strike and said he would continue to fight for nurses’ rights.
“Nothing is more important to me as Minister for Health than investing in our essential health workers,” he said.
“We are still in negotiations, and I remain at the table and will always work in good faith.”
Mr Park said the decision for nurses to strike was “serious” and was concerned at the implications it would have on hospitals on Tuesday.
“Of course we will have contingencies in place to minimise disruption to patient care,” he said.
“I ask nurses and the Association to look at what we have delivered and what we are delivering together.”
After marching through the streets of Batemans Bay – to some applause from cafe goers and passer-bys – the group of nurses headed down to Moruya, where they continued their march.
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Originally published as NSW nurse strike: Eurobodalla nurses strike, march in Batemans Bay demanding more pay
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