Around 5,000 nurses in the state of New South Wales (NSW) rallied at the state parliament despite last minute orders from the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to immediately cease industrial action.
About 150 public hospitals were affected after the nurses’ union assured members they would not be met with fines for disregarding IRC orders. Skeleton staff remained behind to ensure care for the critically ill.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) General Secretary Brett Holmes said nurses stood “in solidarity” and declared to the premier that their goodwill was over.
“This staffing crisis in our health system should never have happened and could have been avoided if those sitting in that building had listened to us,” Holmes said in a media statement sent to The Epoch Times.
The union demanded a nurse-to-patient ratio of one nurse to four patients for every shift across the public health system, a commitment to a pay rise above 2.5 percent, and for the introduction of a COVID-19 allowance.
Additionally, the union wants the state government to withdraw the amendment to the Workers’ Compensation Act that forces health workers to prove they contracted COVID-19 to receive compensation.
“Unless you want to see us here again, premier, listen to all of us and meet our demands,” NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Shaye Candish said.
A midwife from Wollongong Hospital said midwives were unable to provide minimum care due to the lack of staff, with numerous shifts going unfilled.
“We cannot meet the reasonable expectations of the community with these excessive workloads,” she said.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard had met with the NSWNMA on Monday but was unable to reach an agreement.
Hazzard said it was “disappointing” that nurses went ahead with industrial action despite the IRC’s decision.
“So I think there’s got to be the rule of law that applies in the nation and the state, and I’m disappointed because I’ve spent a lot of time talking to the associates to try and find some middle ground,” Hazzard told 2GB radio.
In his meeting with union representatives, Hazzard said discussions had focused on the nurse-to patient ratios rather than pay issues.
“The ratio that applies in their health system [was] applied with the consent of the union and actually introduced by the Labor government 11 years ago,” he said.
It would also cost about $1 billion dollars to implement the union demands and the demanded ratios would lead in nurses overlooking empty beds in some wards. Hazzard added that the state was already spending around 30 percent of the state budget on health.
“We have to work out how to carefully use taxpayer dollars and respectfully make sure that we have all of the good work of the nurses being supported by appropriate staffing and appropriate,” he said. “And I will continue to work with the union on those issues.”
The NSWNMA confirmed it will continue talks with the government and again called on the premier to take urgent action.
