More than 50,000 nurses and midwives walked off job in NSW over pay disputes

More than 50,000 NSW nurses and midwives have walked off the job, with up to 700 surgeries postponed as a result of the action over a wage dispute.

More than 50,000 nurses and midwives have walked off the job as part of a 24-hour strike as pay disputes mount.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association took the action from 7am on Wednesday as they call for a 15 per cent wage increase and safer working conditions to address the gender pay gap within hospitals.

The Minns government has instead offered a three per cent pay rise.

The strike was estimated to force the postponement of 600 to 700 surgeries.

Registered nurse Grace Cahill said she had worked 33 hours in a 48-hour stretch to start this week.

The 26-year-old NSW Nurses and Midwives Association member says she still has some fight left in her, but older colleagues are leaving the industry because of low pay and staff shortages.

Ms Cahill and a group of 40 regional healthcare workers travelled to Sydney to attend Hyde Park rally at midday, finding the collective voice of her colleagues empowering.

Registered nurse Grace Cahill went in from regional NSW to Sydney to rally on Wednesday, with a unique offer for the Premier. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“We’re pulling ridiculous amounts of overtime each week,” Ms Cahill told NewsWire.

“We’re not staying (in healthcare) for the overtime, we’re staying for our co-workers.”

Ms Cahill studied nursing at a regional NSW university, and settled in another regional centre. Doing between eight and 13 overtime hours each week leaves her with effectively no personal life.

“It’s just not much of a life to live at the moment for all us nurses,” she said.

“I don’t exist (outside work) because when I finish work I don’t have any energy.”

Plenty of the health workers brought had direct messages for the Premier. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The registered nurse said if she did not love the actual work of nursing she would not stay in the industry.

Having graduated university in 2023, she said she was amazed how her colleagues who battled through the pandemic still had the drive to show up for work.

Nurses and midwives walked off the job across the state, and the Sydney rally in particular had lots of placards directing messages at Premier Chris Minns.

Ms Cahill had a unique sign addressing the Premier.

“Chris … I will let you suck my toes for 15%,” her sign said.

“I don’t know if he’s into feet,” Ms Cahill told NewsWire.

“But whatever it takes.”

The Premier’s office directed questions about Ms Cahill’s sign to statements made at a press conference and in parliament earlier on Wednesday.

NSW has the second lowest entry level pay for enrolled nurses - after Victoria - and the lowest top-level. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

In parliament the Premier said the government made an offer to the union to raise registered nurse band one and two wages to become first or second highest in the country.

Registered nurses in band eight were offered 40 per cent more than the previous state government had offered, Mr Minns said.

“In relation to RN one and RN two, we tried to work with the Nurses Association about ensuring we could lift pay to be more competitive with other states,” Mr Minns said.

“That was rejected by the Nurses’ Association and I’m not condemning them for that.

“I’m not suggesting that it’s outrageous that they do that. We are now in a situation where mortgages are rising and of course, nurses are finding it difficult to pay their mortgages, but we are attempting to come to a consensus.

“The truth of the matter is, Mr Speaker, that’s unlikely to happen. That’s unlikely to happen.”

Outside Sydney, rallies were held in Armidale, Broken Hill, Coffs Harbour, Crookwell, Moruya, Lismore, Port Macquarie, Taree and Tweed.

This is the latest industrial action from the NSWNMA, who walked off the job in September, resulting in elective surgeries being postponed and affecting emergency wait times.

At the time, the Nurses Union agreed with recommendations given by the Industrial Relations Commission, accepting an interim three per cent increase and agreeing not to strike again while they maintained negotiations with NSW Health.

Hundred showed up for the protest on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Crowds of nurses and midwives are pictured as they hold a protest march towards New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“While the government has acted in good faith in delivering on the interim pay rise, regrettably, the Association has backtracked on their commitment and called a strike,” a spokesperson for Health Minister Ryan Park said.

At a hearing on Friday, the latest industrial action was slammed by the IRC, who accused the Nurses Union of “acting contrary to the commitment it gave the commission” to stop the strike as negotiations continue.

“Industrial action next Wednesday is unnecessary,” said the Commissioner.

“It will cost nurses pay and cause inconvenience and worse to patients and their families.”

However, the planned strike is an action not “taken lightly”, said NSWNMA general secretary Shaye Candish, who argued the “government has left us no other choice” but to go on strike.

“Our members are extremely frustrated and disheartened,” Candish continued.

“They have been holding on for an outcome on better pay, juggling challenging working conditions, trying to manage their bills in a cost-of-living crisis, and now they feel terribly let down.”

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said the action was a necessary step towards closing the gender pay gap in hospitals. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park, has urged the Nurses Union to rethink its strike on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The nurse and midwives’ strike is not the only industry action threatening to affect the lives of NSW residents this week, with the The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) threatening to strike against all work on Thursday in a separate action unless their demands to run all-night train services in the city and regional areas between Thursdays and Sundays and better pay conditions are met.

Under the proposed action, between Monday and Thursday, light rail riders for L1 Dulwich Hill, L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford lines would receive free fares “to assist passengers, and to assist the operator Transdev comply with restrictions around protected industrial action by the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union,” said Transport for NSW.

There will also be industrial action for Sydney commuters on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

According to RTBU NSW secretary Toby Warnes, the action is not intended to disrupt the lives of commuters.

“The overwhelming feedback from the public is that they want 24-hour services on the weekend, not just to go between the CBD and inner suburbs but for those travelling further including Gosford and Wollongong,” he said.

“We want to encourage more people to use public transport, and if we can do that while undertaking industrial action, that’s a win for everyone … it’s a pity it has taken industrial action to bring the government along for the ride.”

The union also seeks a 35 per cent pay increase over four years, and a 35-hour working week without a reduction in pay. Mr Warnes claimed the workers’ pay “has effectively gone backwards while government and management twiddle their thumbs and constantly delay progress” on negotiations

“They won’t even talk to us about pay,” he said. “We are stalled in the trenches at the moment.”

Originally published as More than 50,000 nurses and midwives walked off job in NSW over pay disputes