Chanting ‘Pay us fair!’, hundreds of nurses and midwives formed a two-hour picket line outside NSW parliament.
While nurses rallied outside parliament on 26 February, Premier Chris Minns was appearing before a parliamentary Budget hearing.
As Channel 10 News put it, “The premier was pushed on why police are the nation’s best paid but nurses are left to do dirty deeds dirt cheap.”
“Where is your big bold offer for nurses and midwives?” Greens MP Dr Amanda Cohn asked Minns during the hearing.
Media coverage of the picket highlighted the growing exodus of underpaid NSW nurses and midwives to other states.
The Minns government has offered nurses and midwives an increase of just nine per cent over three years, which would put wages further behind the rising cost of living.
The government has sent the case to the Industrial Relations Commission, which means strike action would now be in breach of a commission order – hence the own-time picket.
Nurses on the picket line demanded the state government direct new money into health to ensure nurses and midwives get fair and equal pay with other states.
NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish said the federal government had just put an extra $400 million into the NSW health budget.
“We need that money to be invested in you,” she told members on the picket line.
“Nurses and midwives should not have to wait until late 2025 for a decision on our 2024 pay and conditions claim in the Industrial Relations Commission.
“The longer this process takes the more nurses and midwives we will lose to other states who value them with competitive wages.
“The state government hasn’t moved from its original application and continues to think that 3 per cent per year is enough to fix the gender pay gap and the staffing crisis in New South Wales.
“The state government could put an end to this dispute right now by sitting down and negotiating a fair outcome with us.”
The state government should listen to us
Third-year nurse Kimberley Balmforth said she never imagined she’d be outside parliament house protesting against a Labor premier.
“I thought Labor was on our side,” she said.
“It’s really disappointing that they’re not coming to the table and they’re not open to negotiations.
“I just want them to listen to us.
“I know the community supports us – I want people in the government to support us as well.
“It doesn’t feel like they are and it’s just incredibly frustrating.”
Kimberley said she was “seriously considering” moving interstate for better pay and better conditions.
“I’m still early on in my career and I love my job – I’m so passionate about nursing and caring for other people.
“I really don’t want to (‘move) because I’ve lived in NSW my whole life and I love it here – all my family and friends are here.
“But I’m seriously considering better options if the current situation does not improve.”
She said a 15 per cent pay rise would “definitely” prevent her from moving to Queensland, Victoria or other states.
She said she expected conditions to have improved after two years of a Labor government, but “it’s definitely gotten worse”.
A fair pay rise “would take so much pressure off us, with the cost of living going up and up – it would make such a difference to everyone.”