More than ten thousand of NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members across the state walked off the job for 24 hours from morning shift on Tuesday 24 September over the NSW government’s decision to turn its back on public sector nurses and midwives.

Major public rallies were held in Sydney, Tweed and Albury where union members raised their voices and demand a 15% one-off pay increase to make NSW nurses and midwives’ wages competitive with other states and close the gender pay gap.

Minimal, life-preserving staffing was maintained in all public hospitals and health services during the 24-hour strike.

NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish said the state government had been given ample opportunity to work with the union, but there had been no genuine attempt to negotiate on the pay and conditions claim.

“The state government could have stopped this industrial action from occurring by coming to the table with an improved offer, but it has chosen to ignore us repeatedly,” said Ms Candish.

“Nurses and midwives are outraged by the government’s unwillingness to negotiate beyond its insulting 3% offer, especially since we found the savings to fund the pay rise.

“If the government doesn’t heed our warnings and deliver a decent pay increase, we will see more nurses and midwives leave the system, and patients will be the ones to suffer the consequences.”