Upset and angry nurses and midwives have gathered outside Randwick’s Prince of Wales Hospital to highlight their disgust over the Berejiklian Government’s public sector wage freeze. 

Many NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members have been reduced to tears as they grapple with the NSW Industrial Relations Commission’s 0.3% pay increase, well below the 2.5% annual rise promised by the Berejiklian Government.

Skye Romer, NSWNMA Prince of Wales Mental Health Branch Secretary, said members were gobsmacked to learn all their hard work and dedication over the past year had been blatantly ignored.  

“This wage freeze sends a clear message to nurses and midwives about how little our current government values us and other frontline workers who put their lives on the line to work through a global pandemic,” said Ms Romer.

“It also sends a clear message to NSW about the lack of regard our Premier and Treasurer have for our democracy because this wage freeze was blocked in the upper house. When the government didn’t get its way, they fought us in the Industrial Relations Commission. What government takes its own nurses, midwives, paramedics, police, firefighters, teachers and other essential workers to court to freeze their pay?!”

“We’re in very troubling times when political leaders are punishing nurses, midwives and other frontline workers who keep our public health system and our state operating 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.”

NSWNMA Acting General Secretary, Judith Kiejda, said the 0.3% offer showed how little the Berejiklian Government valued the courage of nurses and midwives to tackle COVID-19 head on.

“This is an appalling outcome for thousands of nurses and midwives who have sacrificed so much in one of the toughest years,” said Ms Kiejda.