SYDNEY — Nurses and midwives in New South Wales public hospitals went on a 24-hour strike Sept. 24 as they stepped up their campaign for a new union contract, including an immediate 15% wage increase. Over 10,000 marched and rallied outside the state Parliament here in a noisy and festive display of determination.
Holding hundreds of handmade placards, they chanted “Union power!” “15% now!” and “1,2,3,4, we want more in ’24.” It was the second strike by nurses and midwives in the state in two weeks. Their union, the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, says the wage increase is needed to meet today’s high prices and to bring pay up to par with that in neighboring states. This is needed to prevent workers from leaving to go to better paying jobs elsewhere, which means more work for those who remain. The New South Wales government is offering only a 10.5% increase over three years.
The union’s Sutherland branch president, Colette Duff, told the rally, “We are being ignored and told we are being greedy.” Michael Whaites, the union assistant general secretary, said, “If they won’t listen, we will get louder.” Additional union rallies were held across the state.
As it becomes more difficult for working people to access general practitioners, demand at hospitals has grown. Nurses say that patient safety is threatened by the long work hours and inadequate health funding.
O’Bray Smith, the NSW union president, told the rally the union’s membership has grown to over 80,000. Nationally, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation is the country’s largest union, with over 326,000 members.