Thousands of public sector nurses and midwives walked off the job for the third time this year in their fight for safe staffing ratios and better pay.

 A nurses and midwives’ 24-hour strike from 7.00 am on 1 September featured more than 70 rallies and marches in towns and cities across the state.

Nurses and midwives maintained life-preserving services in hospitals and other health services throughout the strike.

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, and Assistant General Secretary, Michael Whaites, joined members and supporters at several locations during the day.

Shaye said the NSW Government’s refusal to consider ratios to improve patient outcomes and guarantee a safe working environment sent a message that nurses and midwives are not valued.

“The evidence is clear from Queensland and Victoria that ratios save both lives and money,” she said.

“Over 3000 NSW nurses and midwives have moved interstate to take advantage of staffing ratios and better conditions in the past few years.

“It’s time we caught up with the rest of the country and gave our nurses the support they need to deliver the clinical care our communities deserve.”

Premier Dominic Perrottet defended his refusal to genuinely negotiate with the NSWNMA on staffing, and claimed his government’s three per cent pay offer was “nation leading”.

But, as 10 TV News reporter Lachlan Kennedy told viewers: “I can tell you, after attending multiple rallies today, the people on the frontline of our healthcare system are saying there is not the right number of staff, the current system is not working and there needs to be an urgent over-haul before this crisis gets a whole lot worse.”

Westmead picket line sends clear message

A highlight of the strike was a 24-hour picket line outside Westmead Hospital in Sydney’s west.

Several hundred nurses joined the picket line at different times, including some who brought sleep-ing bags.

Some picketers held signs read-ing, “This hospital is not staffed for safety” and “Fund hospitals not submarines”.

Another placard addressed to the premier read, “Perrottet – Westmead is at breaking point”.

Mixed in with speeches and chants of “1 to 3 in ED” and “1 to 4 on the floor”, was live music and a barbecue.

The picket line featured on most TV news channels.

Hospital management organised a large squad of security guards who at times attempted to move picketers off hospital grounds and onto the footpath.

“We dug our heels in and told them, we’re employees of this hospital, we have a right to be here,” said ED nurse Denny Anderson, Vice President of the NSWNMA’s Westmead branch.

“Given the amount of money the hospital is spending on our privatised security service, we felt there were more important things they could be doing than standing there gawking at us.”

Many nurses and midwives shared horror stories of having to care for patients, with too few staff.

“ED is almost always 5–7 nurses short every shift,” Denny said. “These are often senior nursing roles such as resus-trained nurses that you can’t just backfill with nurses from the casual pool.”

Denny and other branch officials worked with a NSWNMA representative on each ward to promote the strike and picket in all areas of the 1000-bed hospital.

He said the interest and enthusiasm generated by the strike prompted several ED nurses to join the union.